


What The Future Holds

by OneTrueKingJon



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Jon Snow and the Starks Are Not Related, Political Jon Snow, R Plus L Does Not Equal J
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:53:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 156,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22018192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneTrueKingJon/pseuds/OneTrueKingJon
Summary: A modern AU, taking place in Westeros, loosely based on real life events.Jon Snow is an up and coming composer, trying to break through the scene and establish himself. Daenerys Targaryen is on the other hand a bright young architect, working for her family company. Meeting in a politically torn but recovering Westeros, Jon and Dany try to find happiness under the harsh circumstances, while dealing with their personal demons from the past.
Relationships: Aerys II Targaryen/Rhaella Targaryen, Arthur Dayne/Lyanna Stark, Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, Jaime Lannister/Elia Martell, Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen, Oberyn Martell/Ellaria Sand, Tormund Giantsbane/Val (ASoIaF)
Comments: 147
Kudos: 101





	1. Election Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Dany meet at post election celebrations and hit it off quite fast. There is lots of inner thinking and very little dialogue at this point but it will start to change once they get to know each other more.
> 
> Note that this is my first ever try at writing something so please don't be rude.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

The reign of terror was over. After 25 long years, the dictator Euron Greyjoy’s party had lost both King’s Landing and Harrenhall. While King’s Landing was the capital, Harrenhall was the biggest, the most populated and the most established city in Westeros, since the times of Harren the Black.

Jon had gone to vote earlier that day and was now watching the concession speech of the KL candidate Robert Baratheon. He had voted for Davos Seaworth, who had won by a massive margain. One to never go out to celebrate such occasions, Jon smirked to himself. The reign of terror was indeed over and maybe this was time for a little celebration. He quickly checked his phone, for he had earlier tweeted about some unimportant pop star not being able to vote and his notifications were buzzing. He noticed this beautiful woman, who had enjoyed the tweet maybe a little too much. After checking her profile, he liked what he saw. They both supported the same candidate, the same football and basketball team, so he decided to follow her and put his phone back into his pocket to head out for the celebrations.

***

Dany’s mind was racing. This was maybe the happiest she had been since the Winterfell Wolves had won the prestigious Intercontinental Final-Four tournament. This was a night for celebration indeed. Her friends were continously sending her these funny tweets about the election day. She noticed this one tweet sent by a guy named Jon Snow and had quite the laugh about it. A couple of minutes later he had followed her. She chuckled to herself and thought that this guy with a lot of followers had to be quite the player. She quickly scrolled the profile and found out that they had similar interests. She followed him back, put her phone to her bag and shouted out to her mom and dad, telling them that she was heading out for the celebrations. Her mother, Rhaella stopped her by the door, warning her not to get involved if the police intervened with the celebrations. Westeros had turned into a strange country and opposition supporters being happy wasn’t something Euron Greyjoy and her forces would tolerate. Dany assured her mom that she wouldn’t get into trouble and headed out.

***

There had to be thousands of people, where mayor elect Davos Seaworth was to give his big speech. The crowd was crazy, there were a few people who couldn’t hold their liquor but this was acceptable, Jon thought to himself. 25 long years of ruling under an iron fist had come to an end in King’s Landing. He had only found out on the way that in Harrenhall, man of the people Jon Arryn had taken the lead as well. This was going to be a long, long night for sure.

Davos Seaworth was a nice man. Jon had met him during his campaign when he had visited their workplace. A small private theater with a recording studio, Jon and his partner Jaime Lannister were trying to make a name for themselves in the art scene. Jaime, who had already starred in a few tv series was a couple of months away from tying the knot with his girlfriend of nine years, Elia Martell. They were all to meet for the celebrations and Elia’s older brother Oberyn, who was Jon’s best friend was to join them as well. Jon wandered around the huge crowd, looking for his friends but a really pretty girl with silver hair caught his attention. This short but well-built figure looked so familiar and then he remembered. This was the girl who he had just followed before leaving his flat. He reached for his phone and noticed that she had actually followed him back. He smiled to himself, decided to just go and say hi, only to be tackled by Oberyn, who showed up with a bottle of whiskey as he was drinking in the moment maybe too literally. “ _He is never gonna change._ ” Jon thought to himself, but then hugged his friend and decided to enjoy the moment. What he didn’t recognize at that point was the silver haired girl had actually noticed him and was looking at his direction.

***

“ _Gods he looks better than that profile picture of his_.” Dany thought to herself. He was a well built man, taller than she had imagined when she checked out his profile. This Jon Snow obviously had great humor, but he also seemed to know how to have fun. Surrounded by his friends, he looked like he was having the time of his life. Dany smiled inwardly, thinking that he would probably hit on her soon enough but was he like the others or was he what he looked like he was. Lost in her thoughts, Dany didn’t notice she was actually staring until very late. He had approached her already and was smiling.

_“What are you staring at?”_

_“Was I staring? Oh, I’m sorry, I was lost in my thoughts for a moment.”_

_“It’s inpolite to stare at a stranger though, isn’t it?”_

_“I just said that I was lost in my tho---“_

He then bursted out in laughter. Dany then noticed he was teasing her but she was a little late to figure that out. He then extended his hand to her. Dany was hesitant for a moment but took the hand anyway.

_“You are that guy with the funny tweet, aren’t you? This Jon Snow or whatever.”_

_“Only without the whatever part. And you are?”_

_“Daenerys Targaryen.”_

_“I think I’ll just call you Dany if you don’t mind. Your name is quite exotic though.”_

Dany may had blushed too much for her liking. This guy, with a sweet voice, with excellent manners was actually more confident than he was aware. There was something soothing about how he spoke and acted while making small talk. “He isn’t aware of how good he looks” she thought to herself and decided to tag along. The last thing she wanted from that night was to end up with the people from the youth board, who bored her to death when she had to hang out with them. This Jon and his friends looked nice enough.

***

Jon knew how to behave. His mother Lyanna, always made sure that he turned out to be an excellent gentleman. He was aware that Dany was on her own and hanging out with them, so he made sure she wasn’t bored or too alone in this huge crowd. After Oberyn had too much liqour, Jaime had said that this was the time they take off. He and Elia were to take Oberyn to their place for the night. Jon looked at Dany and asked if she’d like to get going as well. There were police sirens approaching and Dany remembered the promise she made to her mother.

_“Yes mom. I won’t get into trouble. I promise.”_

Their eyes locked for a moment and Jon thought that he lost himself in those wonderful amethyst eyes. This woman maybe wasn’t the hottest he had ever met but there was something about her that he couldn’t just put his finger on.

 _“Who’s staring now?”_ she said jokingly.

Jon wasn’t the type that blushed or even got embarrassed that quickly but he was sure that his cheeks were bright red at that point. This woman wasn’t just beautiful, she also had an excellent sense of humor. He chuckled about how she got back to him and apologized.

“ _Maybe we should get out of here now._ ” she said to him and they started making their way to the crowd. Jon stopped a cab, offered it to Dany so she could get home safe and before he did. He would later curse himself for that decision, since he didn’t know they were living too close and could have shared the ride.

“ _Let me know when you get home_.” he said to her. She looked quite puzzled at first, almost about to question how that was supposed to happen.

“ _We follow each other on twitter, stupid._ ” he said, chuckling. She than laughed and nodded her head. After the door was shut, she quickly gave the address to the cab driver and looked to see if he was still there. He was smiling and waving his hand. They had barely talked, most certainly hadn’t talked enough to figure out who he was but she had this feeling inside her that this guy was different from all the guys she had met before.

***

The ride home took longer than he anticipated. People were still out on the streets, celebrating. While the traffic usually died around midnight in KL, it was still going strong around 2 a.m. When he finally made it home, he saw the message from Dany. She was safely home and indeed had let him know when she got home. He smiled to himself and replied to the message.

_“Glad to know you are safely home, princess.”_

He didn’t expect a response, since he thought Dany was already sound asleep, but then his phone buzzed.

_“My royal backside was yearning for the bed. So glad that I made it home and thank you for letting me go first.”_

He chuckled to the response and typed back, despite his eyes were closing.

_“Anything for your royal highness. It was nice meeting you and I hope you had as much as fun as I did.”_

_“Sure I did. It was nice meeting you as well. Maybe we see each other again some time.”_

_“I certainly hope so. Good night princess and sleep well :)”_

_“You too. Good night :)”_

It was definitely too early to jump to conclusions but certainly this woman had a different aura than the girls he had flirted or had a relationship with. Jon didn’t consider himself a womanizer at all, but he knew it in himself that if something was right, it quite often started smoothly.

***

Dany was overjoyed and maybe a bit too much to her liking. She had literally just met this guy and she definitely wasn’t the one with strong feelings. What is his deal, she was asking herself. She knew for sure that she wanted to see him again. He had said the same so now she really hoped that he would ask her out soon enough. She thought that she had lost hope after her last relationship, but this guy somehow had sparked some hope in her fragile heart.

She knew she wasn’t supposed to rush it, but at the same time she couldn’t help but wonder, if he was to be trusted. His instagram was public, so she checked his profile. He was most definitely single and he most definitely liked to have fun with his friends. It looked like he was some sort of musician but as she wondered what he was doing, sleep took her after a long, joyful and tiring day.


	2. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Dany try and get to know one another a little bit more, while King's Landing wakes up to a new era.

Jon was always an early riser. Despite celebrating wildly the night before, he was up around 7.30 a.m. and he immediately went to the coffee machine. While the coffee was brewing, he took a quick shower, dressed himself with gray jeans and a black t-shirt. It was a nice April morning, already warm enough in King’s Landing where he could just take his jacket and leave for work. After he had his coffee and a small breakfast, he was good to go. The morale in town was something he wanted to take a good look at.  
  
After a long long while, people were smiling on the streets of King’s Landing. He stopped by the local kiosk and purchased a pack of cigarettes. Even the guy in the kiosk who was usually gloomy and never really in a good mood was smiling. “ _The right man won_ ” he said as he was beaming. If the smallfolk had woken up like this, Jon knew that the rest was a matter of time.  
  
As a composer his work was quite often overlooked and underpaid. The children’s shows that he and Jaime were organizing were bringing them some good money to keep the company going, though Jon always wanted to compose for tv or movies. Having first studied in KLU, later he had spent a few years in Braavos, where he studied under the famous Syrio Forel. He was the first Westerosi that Forel ever trained, so he had little fame in the arts scene in Braavos. “ _It didn’t get me anywhere_ ” he thought to himself as he walked to the bus stop. Maybe this spark in the country were eventually going to lead to better things but time was ticking out on him.  
  
***  
  
Dany wasn’t a morning person, ever. This was the third time she moaned “5 more minutes mom” when she came to woke her up. Since her father had retired due to health issues, she had more responsibility in the company and she hated the growing workload. While she wanted to design more and deal less with the corporate affairs, now mostly she was taking care of formal e-mails, delivering to clients and setting up meetings with them. “ _This isn’t taking me anywhere_ ” she thought to herself. Her uncle Viserys, while a nice person in general was a total bitch at work and ever since her father’s retirement, he had become more and more bossy.  
  
While her elder sister Rhaenys never interfered with the corporate affairs, her elder brother Rhaegar was sitting at the board, tied in an endless power struggle with their uncle Viserys. Rhaegar had always looked out for her in general but it was more so at work nowadays. Still, he had a family of his own and his son Aegon was taking a lot of his time, preventing from being the shield he always had been.  
  
Luckily there was no dresscode for work. She slapped on her jeans and put on a warm sweater. She liked it warm and it was just the beginning of April so she knew the shining sun would be deceiving. She started her car and put on some Chris Cornell to keep her company on the long ride.  
  
***  
  
The moment he stepped foot into the studio, Jon got a call from his mother. His parents had left for Tarth right after voting and had settled into their summer house. Jon absolutely adored the island and their beach house, but often found himself unable to visit due to heavy workload and lack of money. At the age of 30, money wasn’t necessarily a big issue for him, though he knew it in himself that he could always make more and he felt that he deserved more. Never been a kiss-ass to authority figures, Jon always felt troubled with the huge gap between the rich and the poor.  
  
Jaime was carefully watching the final results from Harrenhall when Jon found him in the office. “ _Your namesake has won_ ” his partner told him with a smile on his face. Jon Arryn was now the mayor of Harrenhall, which was a huge win. They never were able to be vocal with their political stance, especially due to threats from some of the conservative companies that they had to work with.  
  
He turned on his computer and decided to check twitter before starting the arrangements of the day. There was a tweet on the top of his timeline from Daenerys Targaryen. Jon was quite struck with the woman he had just met the night before, though the natural stress of work had clouded the excitement immediately after he had woken up. Seeing the cheerful tweet put a smile on his face, so he decided to send her a message.  
  
“Good morning princess :)” was all he was able to write. “ _Damn I really forgot how to flirt_ ” he cursed himself and started waiting for the response. Then suddenly the day actually started and it was phone call after phone call, e-mail after e-mail and when he was able to check the time, he noticed that it was already noon. Time had flied by and there was an unread message in his inbox.  
  
***  
  
Dany absolutely hated the hour long drive to work. The family company was too far away from the central town and with the airport only a couple of miles away, she always thought that a getaway would be so nice, though she never had the chance to actually arrange a getaway. When she entered her office, she noticed the pile of folders on her desk and muttered a curse. She hadn’t slept properly and this pile wasn’t going to take care of itself. She wished that she didn’t have to work that day at all and the staring contest between her and the pile wasn’t getting her anywhere.  
  
She quickly checked her phone before diving into the pile. There was a message from Jon Snow and seeing that he didn’t waste any time put a smile on her face. It was a simple good morning message, though Dany thought maybe he was also the type to take things slow. She replied to the message and tried to lose herself in her work. After a few documents gone by, she checked her phone to see if there was any response but he hadn’t even read her message yet. “ _He must be busy too_ ” she thought to herself and put the phone down to try and work some more.  
  
By the time she had halved the pile, she decided to check her phone again. There still was no response and Dany found this frustrating. She wasn’t the type to wait for messages, though somehow something in her stirred and wanted him to write to her. She pictured his raven curls, trimmed beard and heard his soothing voice inside her head. She picked up her phone again and looked through his instagram once more. He was a composer, she figured, though nothing specific could be found on his profile. Just when she was scrolling through his pictures, her phone buzzed and it was a response from Jon.  
  
“ _Sorry I couldn’t reply sooner, it got hectic at work so suddenly. How is it going?”  
  
_So he _was_ busy, she thought to herself and responded quickly.  
  
“ _Very little sleep, lack of coffee and a huge pile of folders in which I’m having a staring contest with. How do you think it is going?”  
  
“Like shit I imagine? :) Don’t worry though, you’re not alone.”  
  
“Well, that’s some consolation, though you somehow are able to sound more energetic than I do. Dunno how I got the vibe from only messaging. Just don’t ask.”  
  
“Very well, I won’t. Though since you mentioned lack of coffee, maybe I thought you’d like to get some after work?”  
  
“After work I won’t be craving coffee, though I most definitely would crave something with alcohol, if a drink must be involved.”  
  
“Alright then. See you in that Dornish pub Starfall around 7 p.m? We could also grab a bite too.”  
  
“Sounds great, will see you then :)”  
  
_***  
  
Jon had decided it was the time to make the move. He didn’t know whether he was rushing or not, but he really wanted to see this girl, get to know her more in a more silent enivornment. He noticed that once he dropped the work, all he could think about was her pretty face, her bright eyes and her shapely figure. “She is very beautiful” he thought to himself. Maybe he was overreaching, but then again if he never tried, he’d never know. Luckily she had said yes without hesitation so that made him more confident about the whole thing. He searched for her instagram to see more of her and found the profile to be public. He quickly followed her and then started scrolling through the pictures.  
  
She was _very_ beautiful. A huge fan of the Winterfell Wolves like Jon, he noticed that she liked to attend the games. He would never miss the games in KL either, so he thought it would be nice to catch a game with her as well. He definitely was going to ask her to watch the next game with him. This put him into a dream state. He imagined they were together at the games, post match celebrations, sharing kisses, before his phone buzzed again to remind him that these were just dreams, yet. He checked out the message which was from Dany again.  
  
“ _This is my number. I figured it would be easier since we’re gonna meet up.”  
  
_He quickly responded via whatsapp so that she could have his number too. Again there were questions in his mind, whether he acted too quickly, whether he was rushing into things, whether he would wear himself out yet again in another attempted relationship. He quickly pushed those thoughts away and reassured himself. This was going rather smoothly and a smooth start was necessary to keep things going.  
  
***  
  
He had asked her out and boy it was quick.  
  
Still she didn’t feel this was rushed. She had wanted him to ask her out and he didn’t miss the beat on that. It was really casual and smooth, didn’t feel forced and she was actually looking forward to it. Plus the place he offered was actually one of her favorite pubs. Dany always liked the Dornish food, plus the beer and the wine there was delicious. She found herself daydreaming about the date. Whether he would kiss her with those pouty lips of his, hold her in a tight embrace and comfort her about the shitstorm of this work day she was going through. She found herself yearning for his touch and just when she closed her eyes, the knock on the door made sure that she returned to the land of the living.  
  
Her uncle was by the door.  
  
“ _Daydreaming again at work, are we?”_ he said with an ugly smirk on his face. Dany gathered herself and explained how the lack of sleep was killing her today, especially after yesterday’s long night. Her uncle, for once, was understanding enough. A huge supporter of Davos Seaworth himself, Viserys told her to go home, once the pile in front of her was done with. Luckily there were only a few more folders to go through, so with little enthusiasm, Dany did her best to finish her work as soon as possible. “Maybe I’ll get home an hour or two earlier, catch some sleep and then meet Jon refreshed” she thought to herself. When the pile was done, it was little after 3 p.m. and a notification on her phone said that Jon Snow had started following her on instagram. With a smile on her face, Dany took her purse and left for home.  
  
***  
  
Jon simply couldn’t concentrate at work after that converstaion. All he could think of was Dany after that. He decided that this wasn’t the state of mind he needed to be in to compose, so he turned off the computer, gathered his belongings and decided to leave for home. Jaime, noticing that he was leaving early, asked if something had come up. Jon muttered some lame excuse and just left, leaving Jaime puzzled behind him. Jaime isn’t the kind of person that would put too much thought into this, he thought. Though he knew an interrogation would be on the horizon tomorrow.  
  
After taking the tube and later the bus, Jon made his way home. He decided that he needed another shower after being stuck in the public transport more than he’d liked to. Then it was to choose what to wear and opening his wardrobe, he casually picked another black shirt and put on some other pair of jeans. “Black has always been my color” he muttered to himself. When he checked his phone, Dany had followed him back on instagram. He quickly threw her a text, telling her that his work day was done earlier than he expected so he could be in the restaurant earlier if she wanted to. The weather was nice anyway, so he decided to leave his flat and walk around a little, before making his way to the pub.  
  
Starfall was one of his most favorite pubs in town. Not to mention it also had the name of his birthplace. His father, Arthur Dayne was a retired professor, who back in his day taught English literature. After his birth, his family had decided to move to King’s Landing, since his mother had got the job in the Westerosi Central Bank, which was a golden opportunity at the time. Jon maybe wasn’t the biggest fan of King’s Landing and quite many of his friends had moved to Harrenhall, especially after the city had become quite the attraction. Still, this pub was one of the cosiest places in town and somehow always made him comfortable. He sat down and ordered the favorite Dornish ale of his, waiting for Dany to show up.  
  
***  
  
The traffic was insane. Dany cursed aloud in the car so much that this jam had destroyed her chances of getting some sleep and look more presentable to meet Jon. She was going to have to go with her work clothes, which she found annoying. Stuck in the traffic, she lit a cigarette and puffed furiously. This day had to get better and now this feeling of being stuck had triggered the emotions she was desparately trying to surpass.  
  
“ _What if he doesn’t like how I dress?”  
“What if he doesn’t think that it’s not cool that I smoke.”  
“What if I make him wait so long that he gets upset.”  
“What if I get cranky because of this damn lack of sleep and just look bored?”  
  
_She tried to erase those thoughts from her mind and finally the road had opened so she was able to get home fast enough. She quickly changed into a comfortable but classy clothing and when she looked at herself in the mirror, she looked satisfied. He was almost a feet taller than she was, so she figured these little heels of her could be some help too. Totally satisfied with what she saw in the mirror, she left home and headed to the bar.  
  
***  
  
By the time the first beer was done, he saw her come in. He suddenly felt this rush inside of him because she looked stunning. He quickly rose to his feet, almost toppling the empty pint on the table. Seeing this, she chuckled and gave him a quick hug. He noticed that she smelled fantastic during that really short interaction. When they sat down, she ordered the same beer he had and they started chatting about how the day had been and so on.  
  
He didn’t feel the need to look at this phone, or even check the time. This woman in front of him was amazing. They shared similar interests, listened to similar kinds of music and as an architecht she clearly understood his struggles with creativity. He felt like something inside him awaken as she continued speaking. She was fun, smart, talkative enough and she definitely knew when to listen to him. He noticed that it was easy to fall for this girl and gods help him, he knew that he was going to be in trouble fast enough, provided that they kept dating.  
  
***  
  
This guy was perfect. Not only in the looks, but in character as well. He was calm, soothing in the way he approached her and listened to her babble about her work problems with actual interest in his eyes. He offered pieces of pragmatic advice every now and then and Dany knew that he was smarter than he was letting on. Still the best thing was that he was actually interested in any kind of thing she said and was really enthusiastic in the way he spoke with her. This made Dany feel safe, unlike she felt before or maybe ever.  
  
For Dany, a guy’s political stance was very important, since neither she would date someone supporting Euron Greyjoy, nor her parents would approve such thing, even if she was madly in love with that person. He was oustpoken, honest and rather blunt with his opinions. “ _He is laying the ground of mutual trust_.” Dany figured and liked what she saw. When he left for the bathroom, only then she checked the time and 4 hours had already passed, while she felt like she could talk with him all night. Still, the night had to come to an end, since they both had to get to work rather early tomorrow, a feeling that made Dany sad.  
  
***  
  
When they left the bar, it was rather chilly. Dany was holding onto his arm as they walked to the cab stop. Only then they had discussed where both of them lived and only then Jon noticed that they could have taken the ride together last night. While Jon would have been comfortable walking her to her place, Dany was rather tired so they decided to split the cab. He noticed, despite being really tired, she was in a very good mood. She was going on an on about something he couldn’t pay attention to anymore since he was lost in her eyes. He knew that it would have been inappropriate to just kiss her there but he just wanted to do something.  
  
So he held her hand and she didn’t pull hers away. Their fingers intertwined and for a brief moment Dany was silent. Their eyes locked and he strengthened his grip, to which she responded. She quietly laid her head on his shoulder and they enjoyed a comfortable silence until they reached her flat. He then held her very tight, muttered good night to her ear and with a peck on the cheek, he let her go. Her eyes were shining when she got off the cab and Jon watched her go into the building and only after she completely disappeared, he lead the cab to his flat.  
  
***  
  
When she got to the flat, her father was watching something useless on tv, while her mother was comfortably sitting on the couch and reading her book. They barely noticed her arriving as she just said good night and made her way to her room. She wanted to scream about how happy she was, only she did that inwardly. She threw herself onto her bed and kept reliving their final moment in the cab. The way he held her hand, how comfortable his shoulder was and that little peck on her cheek in the final moment. She knew, if he could have kissed her on the spot, he would have.  
  
She undressed, put on her pajamas, removed her make up and checked her phone before going to sleep. There was a message from him, telling how lovely the evening was an how he would like to see her again at the first opportunity. Her pulse quickened at the sight and she could barely reply to the text.  
  
“ _I would love that.”  
  
_***  
  
This was the best time he had in a long while. He felt like she completed him in almost every sense. On the surface her personality was strong but he had noticed how gentle she was inside. He noticed that it was going to require some effort to actually forge this into a relationship but gods that was what he wanted, he was sure of it after the first date. This had never happened to him before so he was confused. He then decided to text her about the evening, thanking for the great time he had and how much he’d like to see her again.  
  
The response was short, but clear. For that one night in many years, Jon Snow was the happiest, most excited man on the continent.


	3. A Hill to Climb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Jon's birthday coming up, both Jon and Dany start realizing their feelings and we get to learn about their back stories a little bit more.

This routine wasn’t getting any better.  
  
Dany hated getting up early, hated that she had to drive an hour to work, hated every moment of all those formal presentations, despised almost all of the clients she had to deal with and she absolutely hated working for her uncle. Plus, Rhaegar’s attitude towards everything had started to change and it was bothering her. It was clear he was unhappy at home too but there was nothing she could do to help him.  
  
Her father’s health was a different issue. She had opened up about it to Jon, who was very much understanding about it. He had also mentioned that his father had had four surgeries in the past four years. “ _They are getting old, we have to face it Dany.”_ he had said to her. So much was true, but still it was troubling enough. Aerys Targaryen maybe hadn’t been the nicest man in the world but he was still her father.  
  
At 30 years of age, Dany divided her time between work and her family. She would use Rhaegar’s flat, which was above her parents’ when he wasn’t in town and he wasn’t in town very often nowadays. All that family business and being stuck with the family all the time was bothering her constantly. She felt that Jon was her getaway and he made her feel better, whenever they got the chance to meet.  
  
While Jon more had the schedule of a freelancer, Dany had very strict work hours. Leaving work early wasn’t associated with her ever and even when she thought about it, her uncle’s troubling smirk would come to her mind. “ _If you leave early, then the other workers will also start questioning the morale”_ her uncle would say. He had said it a couple of times already and gods that work place was so, so far away that it made her hate it even more.  
  
***  
  
Everything was bothering him.  
  
The routine, the lack of new job opportunities, the lack of creativity. Everything. Everything that was related to work was just not interesting one bit. When Jon had returned to Westeros at the age of 25, he had thought that by the time he reached 30 years of age, he would have signed a big contract with a big record company and hopefully was composing for tv or movies. None of those had happened and instead of what he envisioned, he was composing and arranging children’s songs. That bothered him more than anything. Doing shit work for shit money was just disappointing.  
  
Then there was Dany. She had been a bright spark in his dull, boring life. They had met at least twice a week since their first date. His birthday was coming up and all he could think of was to spend that day with her, though he knew that she’d need to work late hours on that day, so he didn’t push it. His friends were to throw him a party anyway, so he had casually invited her there, hoping that she would show up, because nothing would have made him happier.  
  
Her birthday was exactly two weeks after his. He had joked about how they should start celebrating on his birthday and then continue until hers. She had entertained the idea, but then reality had hit them, since both of them had lots of stupid shit they had to do. “ _We have it better than most.”_ Dany had told him and she was right. The level of poverty was terrible in the country and it wasn’t getting any better. Westeros was a democratic republic all but in name and Euron Greyjoy had tightened his grip on the country even more, after losing in the local elections. The taxes were being raised to an all time high, all the prices were going crazy and it was damn near impossible to go out and have fun more than once a week, for working class people like themselves.  
  
***  
  
Work. Home. Work. Home. Work. Home. This stupid fucking routine was going to be the end of her. She desparately needed time off but the holidays were still too far away. Jon’s birthday was coming up and she really wanted to surprise him. She cursed this hell of a schedule because she needed to be at work that day. “ _You need the money, we won’t be here forever and once we’re gone, Viserys and Rhaegar’s power struggle will crush you”_ her dad would always say. Yes, she needed the money but was it really worth the effort? Whatever money she made was spent on gas, alcohol and cigarettes. Despite not paying rent and usually eating at her parents’ place, the end of the month was always a troubling time and the payday couldn’t come soon enough.  
  
Jon’s situation wasn’t any different from what she could gather. He brooded a lot over work and whenever he had a creative strifle, he would open up to her about how shit everything was. They comforted each other in such cases, so it didn’t bother Dany at all. She was glad that they were sharing the burdens together, no matter what was the case. She had listened to some of the stuff that he composed and she could tell that he was very talented. Dany didn’t brag about it but she did have some music background so she could interiorize Jon’s work, while his understanding of aesthetics meant that he really understood what she wanted to do with her career.  
  
This level of mutual understanding and trust was something new to Dany. None of her past boyfriends were able to grasp what she did or wanted from life but with Jon, it came easy. He never pushed or forced her to do anything, only maybe complained about work but that was it. He was always comforting otherwise, soothing and tempering her whenever necessary. All her life, Dany had to face everything on her own, but nowadays there was a small comfort in her, where they could share things together with Jon. He was somehow always there, whenever she needed him. Whether it was a surprise phone call at a random hour, or a song he sent her during a terrible work day, he always made her feel important. But what was he to her, that she hadn’t been able to figure out. Was he her boyfriend, or was this some fling which would pass once they had sex. This made her feel insecure a lot, especially most of the guys she had met before just wanted her for the looks but were never interested in her personality. If Jon was in this just for the sex, he didn’t show it one bit. Still the decision she made to make him wait was slowly killing her too and him not making a move was puzzling her more and more.  
  
***  
  
More and more Jon thought that she was the right person. Yes everything was going slowly but surely. Still, he knew he wanted more from this. Deep down he fantasized about Dany and it was surfacing more and more each day. The less he got to see her, the worse this was becoming and the workload of each party was making this unbearable. All Jon wanted was to just drop everything so they could lock themselves in his apartment and not leave for a few days, until their hunger for each other was satisfied. Then again there were doubts in his mind too, whether she wanted that or not. She surely was holding him back on this and making him earn his way to her heart for sure and he was prepared for this since the first date. Dany was gentle and hesitant when it came to physical contact, but Jon knew that if they were to be an item, that was necessary too.  
  
Otherwise she was everything he ever needed. Smart, funny, a woman with understanding of his work, who shared his vision of life. They came from similar backgrounds and being the same age actually helped with a lot of things too. Jon wasn’t the biggest fan of a big gap of age when it came to relationships because in his mind it always caused problems with understanding each other. With Dany, almost everything came easy to him, since the level of mutual understanding was something he hadn’t experienced before. He didn’t feel the need to have his guard on all the time, he could be open and blunt about what he thought or felt and she was never bothered by it. She even told him that she liked how direct he was when it came to expressing himself and that made him look confident and strong.  
  
When the day of his birthday came, it felt like it was any other day. He was supposed to attend the party that Oberyn and Jaime were throwing for him. Plus his long time friend Val would show up with her on and off boyfriend Tormund. Tormund was a big drinker and it always got messy with him around, though Jon deep down liked how the big man liked to have his fun. Oberyn would always use these parties to get laid, while Jon would quite often focus on his liquor and try to have a few decent conversations before the alcohol would become too much to handle.  
  
Jon was having a glass of scotch and constantly checking his phone throughout the night. He barely paid attention to what was happening around him. People would come and hug him, wish him a happy birthday, then stick around for a while and leave to make conversation with other people. Tormund was booming as usual, while Oberyn and Jaime had entered a shot drinking contest, as Elia was laughing at the two. All Jon could think about was whether Dany was going to be able to make it there. They hadn’t been able to see each other for the week and he was really missing her. Plus if any day was special, this was supposed to be it. He checked his phone once more to see if there were any messages and then decided to put it away for the night, convinced that Dany wasn’t coming.  
  
***  
  
It was a fucking mess. This time it wasn’t just her uncle, but her brother too. A meeting that was supposed to last maybe an hour maximum had been going on for five hours. Dany was stuck, she couldn’t leave the conference room, couldn’t interfere with the ongoing argument and all she could do was to text her best friends Missandei and Irri, until it had reached the point where Rhaegar finally stormed off, after not being able to take the continuous onslaught from Viserys. They were like little children and this power struggle was killing them. Dany had even forgotten how the argument had started and sparked into something completely unrelated. She desparately wanted to get away and see Jon, give him the gift she had bought for him and to see the smile on his face. Instead, she was just leaving the office which was in the middle of nowhere and it was almost midnight. By the time she would reach the party place it would be too late, Jon would possibly be too drunk to notice she had arrived and nothing would make any sense. “ _All this hope was for nothing, he’s not going to want to see me after tonight.”_ she thought to herself while driving home. She felt so dead inside that now all she wanted was to go home and cry herself to sleep. She couldn’t bother Jon with her problems now, it wouldn’t be fair. This was supposed to be one great night they should have shared together and now it was ruined. Anger rising in her, she didn’t notice how fast she had made it home, only to find Missandei and Irri waiting for her in front of the building.  
  
“ _See, I told you she would chicken out after the meeting went to hell.”_ Missy said to Irri. Irri was a bit older than they were; already divorced a couple of years ago and the things she had been through had made her wiser beyond her years. She just held Dany and said “ _You’re not going to let some insecurities get in the way this time my dear. All you have been talking about was this guy for the past week and no matter when and how, we are getting you to that party.”_ in a very sweet voice. Dany felt tears forming in her eyes, for she had good friends who understood her situation and intervened just in time.  
  
***  
  
“ _How could one get insanely bored in his own birthday party?”_ Jon was thinking to himself. Some chit chat with Val had kept him interested for a while, but after the third glass of scotch, it was either get hammered or get home time for Jon. It was his fucking birthday and all he wanted was that Dany be there for him. He hadn’t checked his phone for a few hours now and when he looked, there were no calls or messages from her. “ _She is probably gonna bail.”_ he thought and that made his mood even more sour. People surely seemed to have fun around him and there were occasional toasts where he had to smile and say a few things but that was about that. Only then a super drunk Oberyn approached him and pulled him aside to the balcony.  
  
“ _You cannot sulk forever dude.”_ he said to him, while shaking him from his shoulders and he was right. Not everything was tied to just one person and he had been acting like everything depended on Dany for a while now. His friends were around, people were having fun so why wouldn’t he either? Oberyn wasn’t in the best state to give him a pep-talk but as his oldest friend, he always understood when Jon needed to be cheered up or pushed in the right direction so he just did that as best as he could.  
  
He decided to get some fresh air before returning to the apartment and continue drinking. It didn’t matter that he turned 31 that day; he knew it in himself that he could still pull an all-nighter when he was in the right mood and he wasn’t going to let anything get in his way from that moment onwards. He took his jacket and after signaling to Oberyn that he was going for a smoke, he quietly left the apartment to get that much needed alone time before everything was to go gung-ho. He slowly went down the stairs and just as he opened the door, a car stopped in front of the building. A familiar figure, one he wasn’t expecting to see, got out of the car and Jon released the breath he didn’t notice he was holding.  
  
“ _Dany…”  
  
_ ***  
  
Time had stopped.  
  
As soon as she got out of the car, she had come face to face with him. She felt tears forming in her eyes but held them back. This wasn’t the time to cry. Not now. Before she could move, he took these huge steps and just grabbed her. She felt her feet leaving the floor and he was holding her tight. “ _Your back…”_ she was able to mutter before he kissed her. He didn’t look drunk, or smelled like too much alcohol. He had kept himself in check and waited for her. This guy… He really knew how to make her feel special. Whether he was trying or it was happening naturally, he managed to nail it somehow.  
  
The kiss was amazing. She had yearned for it, waited for it for so long. She couldn’t help but kiss him back and finally decided to wrap her legs around his back. He had no difficulties in holding her like that at all and it seemed like the kiss would go on forever if she hadn’t broken it. All she was able to say was hi, while smiling. He chuckled and said hi back to her, before burying his face down her neck. He was breathing her in and Dany was loving it. He finally decided to put her to the ground and when her feet touched the ground, she stepped on her toes for another quick kiss. “ _Happy birthday…”_ she mumbled, giving him the small gift from her bag. She had bought him the Wolves t-shirt that he had fancied when they were walking around the mall. His eyes beamed when he saw that she had actually paid attention to something he had said in between. There was a comfortable small silence before he actually decided to talk.  
  
“ _You look like you’re in dire need of a drink.”  
  
“Is it that obvious? My brother and uncle drove me crazy for hours. I was almost going to miss the party.”  
  
“It doesn’t matter now. Let’s get you inside and give you some alcohol and make you forget about that shitstorm.”  
  
_***  
  
In Jon’s mind, all the pieces were now complete. They took the elevator to Oberyn’s apartment and when he opened the door, people roared to see him back. There was a huge bottle of Jägermeister brought to the mid table. It was time for shots. He held Dany’s hand and smiled to her. They did the first shots from the huge bottle and then retreated to the kitchen, where Oberyn was loudly going on about the Westerosi diplomatic affairs. Having served in the embassies in Qarth and later the Summer Isles, he surely had been to places, which also affected his drinking habits. He greeted Dany warmly that it surprised Jon. Oberyn never really liked the women he had dated before but apparently Dany’s aura wasn’t only visible to him.  
  
As people started leaving one by one, Jon and Dany retreated to the big couch in the living room. They sure had lots to talk about but none of those things felt like they mattered at all. Jon held Dany close to his chest, his hands shuffling through her hair. Dany’s head was on his shoulder and she was breathing him in, peppering him with kisses every now and then. There was another comfortable silence before Jon decided that he had a few things to say.  
  
“ _I want you to know that we are in this together now. Whatever happens, good or bad, I’ll be by your side. I just want you to know it.”  
  
_ Dany looked at him with tears in her eyes and then kissed him.  
  
“ _We’ll need to talk this through but know that I feel the same.”_ she said softly.  
  
Once Jon noticed that she had actually fallen asleep on his chest, he pulled the blanket on the couch on top of them and peacefully closed his eyes.  
  
***  
  
Dany hadn’t slept this peacefully since she was a little child. When she opened her eyes, something was going on in the flat but Jon was sleeping comfortably. There was a couple running around in the flat and she noticed that Jaime and Elia were trying to put the place in order, since Oberyn was nowhere to be found. Elia, noticing that she was awake, signed to her whether she wanted some coffee. Moments later she arrived with a mug and left right away. The smell of the coffee seemed to wake Jon, who smiled at the sight in front of him.   
  
“ _Good morning princess”_ he whispered to her. He really looked like he was the happiest person on the planet and that brought Dany so much joy. She kissed him and offered him a sip from the coffee, which he gladly took. After finishing the coffee, they helped Jaime and Elia with tidying the place, checked on Oberyn who was sound asleep on his bed and left as quietly as possible. It was already noon and the sun was shining. Jon held her hand and took her to this wonderful breakfast place near Aegon’s hill. Dany wanted to say so much about the night before but decided to keep it for some private time between them. Some cafe wasn’t the place to talk about this. Jon on the other hand, didn’t ask about the day before, just kept jumping from topic to topic, almost to distract her from the stress.  
  
They took advantage of the nice weather and actually walked to Dany’s place. Jon held her tight before parting ways, nuzzled her face and gave her a quick kiss. Only then Dany felt ready and comfortable about saying a few words concerning the day and the night before.  
  
“ _So about yesterday, I just want you to know that I want to be with you too. But please understand me about taking this slow. I haven’t really understood what has happened up to this point but I’m comfortable with it.”  
  
_ Jon looked like he wanted to say something about it but just nodded and let Dany finish.  
  
“ _I’m not good at talking about these things. I never really had to confront my feelings, mostly because they were shut down. But with you I’ll need to be honest and direct to the point. I just hope you understand me with this.”  
  
_ Jon’s expression hadn’t changed one bit while listening to her. When she finished, he smiled, cupped her face and kissed her forehead.  
  
“ _Whatever you need. Just clear your head and if there is anything I can do to help that, let me know. Let’s not postpone this though. Why don’t you come to my place after work tomorrow, so I cook for you and we talk this over, comfortably, without anyone interrupting or disturbing us? What do you say?”  
  
“I’d like nothing more.” _she said to him as he held her tight. After one final kiss, she made her way into the building. He again waited for her to disappear in the building and then left to his place.  
  
“ _You’re not going to screw this up Dany.”_ she mumbled to herself. This was the most understanding and caring guy she had ever met. She had no right to drag him down with her demons of the past. As she opened the door, she noticed her parents were away. She quickly hit the shower and then hit her bed, for tomorrow was going to be a long, long day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the third chapter I typed within 24 hours. It feels nice to have some spare time in my hands and considering that I have time off until next week, more should follow. I cannot however promise to keep the pace afterwards. Still the outline is ready so I will keep posting.
> 
> This chapter was difficult to bring together on so many levels. I am trying my best to drop clues and hints about inner turmoils, which should expand in the future chapters. The lack of dialogue might be frustrating for some of you but I'll do my best to make up for it, especially in the next chapter.
> 
> Please keep in mind that this will be a long and often angsty ride until we reach the conclusion. I'm a fan of happy endings so no worries there. All I can ask from you guys is to bear with me until the end, especially if you have liked what you read so far.


	4. Almost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Dany open up to each other and confront some of their issues from the past but some things don't go as planned.

He had to nail this dinner.  
  
Jon was a good home cook. His parents had made sure that he learned how to take care of himself. His old man Arthur Dayne reminded him of the fact very often in his teen days. “ _We’re not going to be around forever, so you need to know your way around the house.”_ he would say to him while his mother would nod in approval. Although he didn’t have to do much until he left for Braavos, his time there was quite helpful on learning how to manage a household and learn the worth of every penny he made.   
  
Despite the fact that the end of the month was just around the corner and his bank account didn’t look very promising, he went a bit overboard while shopping. He knew he wasn’t supposed to overdo anything but he just couldn’t help himself. Although she had a tiny figure, Dany liked to eat. A lot. Her appetite always made him smile, since he didn’t really like the people who would just pick at their food while he devoured what was in front of him. He was a true northerner in that sense; his mother’s roots were strong in him.   
  
He had decided on beef stroganoff with crispy straw potatoes. It both looked fancy and tasted very good, plus it wasn’t so difficult to make since he had mastered the meal some time ago. Considering how much Dany liked chocolate, he decided to make a cake with chocolate mousse topping, making sure that he added some honey whiskey to the topping for extra flavor. He also had a few bottles of the Dornish red that Dany liked a lot so he was good to go. Now all he had to wait for was the call or text from Dany that she was leaving work so he could start with the taters.  
  
When he told Jaime that he’d be working from home that day, he hadn’t questioned his motives. “ _Just make sure you’re not rushing into this bro.”_ was all he said. Having been in a long term relationship, Jaime didn’t necessarily offer advice when it came to how to start a relationship, though his experience and sound advice would definitely be valuable if he and Dany could pull this off on long term.  
  
***  
  
This day had to end. Quickly.   
  
Dany had a staring contest with the clock this time. She desperately wanted this day to end, so she could get off from this shit pile of a place called work and get to Jon’s arms. Nothing would make her happier and she knew it. So she pretended to be very busy with stuff at her computer, mainly reading the news, hanging out on twitter or just watching stupid videos. Her workload wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle today, so she did some of the work in between those activities. Still, Einstein had to be right and time moved at different speeds apparently.   
  
She texted Jon to check on him and he responded with a picture from the kitchen. He really was paying extra attention to the food, though Dany would even settle for a simple sandwich, as long as it was with him. Still, she liked the fact that he ate like a true northerner, which also meant that she didn’t necessarily have to nurture her appetite with him. While many others, even her parents, would sometimes look at her like as if they had seen a ghost as she ate, Jon either smiled or laughed at her appetite and encouraged her. That was maybe the most relieving thing about him. He was so easygoing that whatever she liked to do, he was always supportive and ready to offer his help if it was needed.  
  
  
When the clock showed 4 p.m. she decided to just get out of the office so she wouldn’t get jammed in traffic and wouldn’t have to stress about being at Jon’s on time. Just when she turned the corridor and was going for the elevator, she ran into her uncle.  
  
“ _Leaving early, are we now?”_ he said with a smirk. His behavior would always make Dany uneasy and she would feel guilty about not working hard enough. But she wasn’t going to have it today. Not today.  
  
“ _Not today you bitch.”  
  
_ Dany paused, turned slightly towards her uncle and just smiled. She could sense that her behavior was making Viserys really uncomfortable. It was visible on his face. Viserys had always been a bully and her father had told her as much. Still, when somebody stood up to him, he’d take a step back and actually let them go on with their business.  
  
“ _You know what, UNCLE? Because of your pointless struggle on Saturday, I was stuck here for five hours. FIVE. HOURS. So yes, I’m leaving early today and if you have a problem with that, either count the extra four hours I spent on that useless meeting on Saturday, or just you know, cut the hourly pay from today. I don’t care.”  
  
_ Without waiting for an answer, she walked into the elevator. The ring of the elevator was the sweetest sound she had heard up to that moment.  
  
***  
  
She had texted him that she was on his way. Jon quickly organized the table on his living room, changed into nicer clothes and started waiting for Dany to arrive. Now it was his turn to have a staring contest with the clock. Having performed on stage several times, he knew how to handle the stress well enough, but still this was probably the first time he got this excited. He was definitely nervous. Not necessarily nervous about the food or the wine, or anything related to those but rather nervous about having to have the talk.  
  
He never shied away from expressing his feelings when he actually had them. Words didn’t come easy to him so he’d often blurt some things and then try and stick by those words. He needed to pick his words carefully this time. Sure, he could probably impress Dany by composing for her, but this was rather the time that he would need to use his words. He could tell that she wasn’t the biggest confronter of feelings either and she had said as much. This was the time to be open, honest and blunt even. “ _If something was going to go wrong, better now than later_ ” he said to himself. He would understand if Dany didn’t want to pursue a relationship or get into deeper stuff with him and as long as he knew it, there wouldn’t be any problems. He always had been the one to adapt, so even though this would break his heart, he would do what was necessary.   
  
***  
  
She was scared. A lot. Way more than she wanted to admit.  
  
She never had to confront her feelings before. She always found a way to avoid such talks, try and let things evolve on their own, only to be disappointed in the end. Maybe this was right. They would talk, agree or disagree about the future, become a couple or part ways in a civilized way. It made sense. He was clear about wanting to be together and she had agreed to it in principle. Still, they needed to fully understand each other. “ _Maybe he has demons from the past as well_ ” she thought to herself. In her experience everyone had something to hide so she would see if he was willing to be open about things.  
  
Then again, he was so comforting, so nice and kind that Dany didn’t like the idea to be apart from him. She was constantly making excuses to contact him before the events of the party and she had accidentally said that out loud on one date, to which he had smiled and appreciated the honesty. She probably should have stopped embarrassing herself like that but he had waved his hand and told her that he thought her behavior was very sweet and she shouldn’t change the way she behaved as long as she was comfortable about it. He was never judgmental and Dany knew that she could go to him with anything. She wondered if he thought the same, because Jon was more adjusted to handle things by himself, he almost never asked for help, only sometimes he needed to rant about a few things and those rants only lasted mere minutes. After those he’d be the same sweet and caring Jon, who would make her laugh, sometimes with the dirtiest humor possible.   
  
She parked her car near her flat, went home, dropped her big work bag and grabbed her purse and left right away. She loved being able to use Rhaegar’s rather empty flat for such things. She had everything prepared from the day before so she didn’t have to face any questions from her parents. Quickly she took a cab and headed for Jon’s flat and it took only 5 minutes to get to his place. When she got there, the first thing that hit her was the wonderful smell of the food. He was dressed nicely with a nice dark grey shirt and black jeans. She was glad that she hadn’t overdressed.  
  
“ _You look beautiful.”_ he whispered to her ear as he was hugging her by the door. She pecked him on the cheek and got rid of her shoes. The living room was dimly lit; the plates and wine glasses were ready. Only then Dany realized that she had arrived empty-handed. She immediately started apologizing about it but he stopped her, telling her that her coming here was the only thing he needed. His behavior had warmed her heart once again. He guided her to the living room to get comfortable and told her everything was ready. Dany was starving already so they didn’t wait more and started eating while talking.  
  
***  
  
He could see that she was enjoying the food and the wine. She looked happy enough so Jon thought maybe this was the right moment to get into the serious conversation that was bound to happen today. He cleared his throat, straightened himself in his seat and poured more wine to both of them. He checked the aura of the room once more and when he was sure that he had Dany’s full attention, he started talking.  
  
“ _I really don’t know how to start this. It’s almost embarrassing that at this age I’m doing this for the first time. So maybe we take turns in expressing what we think or feel? I really don’t know uhm… I can go first if you like but then again if you know what to say more than I do, maybe you should go first?”  
  
_ Dany chuckled but then got serious. This was maybe the first uncomfortable, awkward silence between them. Usually when things got silent, either her head was on his chest or shoulder or they would be both beaming without knowing what to say.  
  
“ _I think you should go first.”_ she said softly. She almost looked scared for the first time since they met.  
  
With that, Jon started talking. The pace was slower than he was used to but he was picking his words very carefully. He had to make his intentions clear so a ground of mutual trust would be formed. Then they could build on it.  
  
“ _I always wanted to see myself a man of reason and this is probably the only time in my life that I’ve been lost for words. I quite often know what to say and say it without difficulty but as I said, this is the first time I’m being so open about things. I liked you the first time we met. I then liked you more and more after each date. I think I was clear about how much I liked you and how much I enjoy your company yesterday. Still I should be more open with my past. I haven’t been the most successful person when it comes to relationships as you can see. I quite often rushed into things, very often gave my 100% for someone, only to be dumped or disappointed in the end. I cannot say that I have self-esteem issues, I’m quite sure about myself and I really don’t want to screw things up with you. You are probably the nicest person I’ve met so far and I’d really, REALLY like you to be my companion in this shit world we live in.”  
  
_ ***  
  
He was blunt. First he was in the most unsure state that she had seen him but as he kept on talking his confidence grew visibly. He looked sure, said every word with an attitude and by the time he reached the end, his eyes were shining. This guy really liked her, she could tell now.   
  
“ _I’ve suffered from abusive relationships in the past. Not just with boyfriends, also in family matters too. I’m always the one everyone blames for everything. My uncle does the same, my brother sometimes does the same and my sister does it too. Sometimes my mom becomes the most unreasonable person ever and refuses to find middle ground with me for something completely unimportant. I’ve fucked up a few things in the past, my only serious relationship went to hell and everyone blamed me for how it ended. Nobody cared if Drogo was emotionally abusive towards me at all. As long as there was no physical harm done and there wasn’t, nobody wanted to believe me. Even my friends were sometimes saying to me that I was acting like a spoiled brat, like daddy’s little girl with a silver spoon in her mouth. Then I lost my first job afterwards and everyone blamed me for it again. They told me I was irresponsible, distracted, rude and uncaring with how I acted. Both towards work and the people around me. My therapist had me on antidepressants for years; she barely gave a shit about my problems to be honest. I think I was an easy paycheck for her and those sessions only helped me because I got to rant for an hour, uninterrupted.”  
  
_ He held her hand at that point and gave it a light squeeze. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes.  
  
 _“I’ve made a couple of mistakes in the past and everyone is still judging me with those. I hate the feeling and it makes me crumble under the pressure. I haven’t been on medication for more than a year now but still it’s difficult to handle. Sometimes I zone out, sometimes I lose the sense of empathy because what I’m experiencing is so strong and it tears me apart. You on the other hand never once judged me about how I am and who I am up to this point. You made me feel comfortable, important and loved. That is something new to me and I have to admit that you struck me. I really, REALLY don’t want to mess this up so that’s why I wanted to take things slow but it’s killing me at the same time because you really are the only getaway I have from all the shitstorm. I’ll understand if you want to stop seeing me after this but, I thought I should be honest with you from the beginning.”  
  
_ ***  
  
He held her hand while she kept talking and listened to her until she stopped. When she had stopped, tears had formed in her eyes and she look like she could burst anytime. That was the last thing he wanted so he got up from his seat and took her with him to the couch. There she put her head on his chest while he cupped her face and just held her.  
  
“ _I’ll never judge you for who you are. Never ever. That’s not who I am and that’s unfair towards you. I want you to be with me because I feel you complete me. You make me want to be a better man. You inspire me, make me more creative, listen and understand me when I’m stuck. You have everything I’ve ever asked for and I’m not going to back down because some assholes have been mean towards you. No. I’d rather see them burn because they treated you badly. I cannot and will not accept people being unjust towards you and I already gave you my word. Good or bad, I’ll be by your side. That I can promise.”  
  
_ At that point she moved towards his face and kissed him. He smiled, kissed her back and continued explaining himself.  
  
“ _I know what it is to be in an emotionally abusive relationship. My ex-girlfriend Ygritte, the way she acted made me ask myself whether I was a terrible person, every single fucking day. Just when everything seemed fine, something would happen and I would be blamed for days. In the end I decided that it was my time to go and I just left it all behind, though I suffered later on because of that. It had affected my self-confidence, my ability to trust another person and the more I tried to make things right, the more I fucked up because I was trying to push things without noticing. With you so far, I didn’t have to push anything and I cannot see myself dictating things to you ever. Maybe in managing a crisis yes, I could take more responsibility but nothing more. I want you to feel safe with me. I want us to trust each other so that we can build on it. I know that I trust you now because you’ve been honest and I hope you trust me too.”  
_ *** _  
  
_Dany just nodded with a smile on her face and wrapped her arms around his neck. “ _I do.”_ she whispered and kissed him again. They laid in comfortable silence for a while and just when it looked like she was falling asleep, her phone started ringing. She grunted and went for her phone. It was Rhaegar who was calling. Her brother wouldn’t call at this hour unless there was an emergency so she answered quickly.  
  
“ _Dany, it’s dad. He had a heart attack and we’re taking him to Maegor’s Hospital right now. Drop whatever you’re doing and head there. We need you.”_  
  
She dropped the phone. This was something she feared since the first heart attack her father suffered. She could barely look at Jon, who had picked up her phone from the floor and looked at her with concern in his eyes. “ _My dad had a heart attack.”_ she mumbled. Jon immediately took his own phone out and called for a cab and then rushed inside to take her coat. “ _Do you want me to come with you?”_ he asked her softly. She waved her head, not wanting to throw him into the middle of the Targaryen family drama. She had to do this and she had to do this on her own.   
  
He escorted her to the cab that was waiting right outside of the building, telling her if he could do anything; she could just call and ask whatever was necessary. She nodded and hugged him dearly. Without being able to say anything, she jumped into the cab and led the driver to the hospital. She hated the world at that moment. Just when she was finally happy for the briefest of moments, everything came crashing down on her.   
  
***  
  
 _What in the blue fuck had happened_ , he kept asking himself. Just when everything was going fine for once, the whole world came crashing down. He wanted to be there for Dany but he didn’t want to overstep at the same time so he knew he had to stay behind this time. She was trying to protect him, so much he understood. Still it was eating him from the inside. He knew the troubles of having a parent in and out of the hospital, having to stay with them, rush to every need and take care of all the stuff on his own and since he was the only child, he knew these troubles all too well for his liking.   
  
Leaving the table as it was, Jon fell to the couch and lit a cigarette. After a few puffs, he reached for his phone and dialed the number he knew all too well.   
  
“ _Hi dad. Just wanted to check in on you guys. Hope everything is okay down there?”  
  
_ ***  
  
After talking to his dad for about 10 minutes, Jon cleared up the table, tried to focus on the stuff at hand so that it would distract him enough. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep without hearing from Dany tonight. Still, he didn’t want to disturb her while she had to run around to make the necessary arrangements for her father. Whether he would require surgery, he didn’t know. Dany had talked about her father’s condition before and sounded worried while doing so. Jon had reacted rather calmly towards the situation, almost trying to comfort her with it but now he felt bad about how he reacted. “ _I could have been more understanding.”_ he cursed himself. He totally must have sounded like an uncaring piece of shit at that moment. He knew he had to apologize about it and hoped it wouldn’t be too late.   
  
After he checked the time for the fiftieth time, Jon noticed that two hours had passed since Dany departed. He decided maybe this was the right time to call so he dialed her and waited for the answer. When she answered, she sounded worn out, tired and almost defeated. “ _His condition is stable, though they will keep him in the hospital tonight.”_ she was barely able to say. Jon sighed in relief and asked her how she was doing. She responded about how tired she was and now she was going to have to stay in the hospital for the night. “ _Please take care of yourself.”_ was all Jon could say at that point. He bid her good night and ended the conversation, finally able to go to bed, though he knew it would be difficult for sleep to take him tonight.  
  
***  
  
Dany hated hospitals. Not that there was anything to like about them, she still hated all hospitals with all her guts. She, Rhaegar and her mom were all cramped up in that little room, where her dad was asleep. She knew that Viserys was at least human enough to not to expect them to show up at work tomorrow, so that was some sort of relief. Still all she wanted was to get her loved ones out of that fucking place and go home.   
  
Her mind than moved on to Jon. He acted rather calmly in a situation she would normally freak out and he made sure that she made it to the hospital as quickly as possible. “ _He’s been in my shoes before. That’s how he managed to stay so calm.”_ she thought to herself. How she wished he was there now, comforting her, holding her, pressing her head to his chest and making sure she got the necessary sleep to handle all the business to come. She had wanted to say so much more to him earlier that night but how little had actually come out of her mouth. No matter what, he was understanding enough and comforting with his presence. She knew he wouldn’t blame her for anything that had happened and he would be supportive towards her until everything got back to normal. Still, her mind wondered if they could actually have a stable relationship, without too many ups and downs. Any man would have difficulties with supporting her through this shitstorm but Jon wasn’t any other man. That she was sure of after tonight. Her thoughts kept her awake for a while more, until her body couldn’t take the exhaustion and she actually passed out on that small sofa in that hospital room.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Happy new year to everyone who's reading this! I know that I didn't leave things on a high note and sorry about that, though I had mentioned that this is loosely based on real life events and the ending for this chapter was one of those real life events.
> 
> From this point onwards, things will be a little fluffy for a while. That I can promise at least. Plus, chapter 5 is almost done so there won't be a long wait for that.
> 
> Between so many good stories and the declining interest from the fandom, I was aware that this story wouldn't gather so much attention. Still I want to thank the people who gave kudos and were nice enough to comment. It's simply wonderful motivation to write more, so even the interest towards this story isn't huge, I'm still happy that at least some people are interested and they seem to like what they read!


	5. Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things finally start coming together and with that, Jon and Dany finally get that alone time they really deserved.

Two nights in the hospital was more than enough. By the half of the second day, her mom had sent her home, telling her that preparations were needed. Rhaegar was back to work as well, so she was on her own. Immediately after leaving the hospital, she called Jon. He hadn’t called her after the first night, so that he wouldn’t disturb or interrupt anything. They were back to communicating via text for the time being and she was in need of hearing his voice.  
  
The call was short but sweet, still Dany had noticed the tiredness in his voice, despite being shit tired herself. “ _He’s at work, but his mind is probably here.”_ she thought to herself but was unable to pay more attention to if something else was up with him. He was caring enough, asking if he could do anything for her. She told him that she had everything covered and she actually had. Hearing him sigh with relief, she ended the call and headed home.  
  
Putting the place in order was not a big problem. Dany had done this before anyway. It was five years ago when Aerys Targaryen had his first heart attack and gradually his health had declined. It was almost a year ago he had fully retired and now barely left the house, only for special occasions at most. He rarely enjoyed life and would often complain about how being old sucked, especially when Dany was around.  
  
Dany turned the sofa in the living room into a bed and station at the same time. Her father would rest rather well there. He’d only need to get up to go to the bathroom. Her father’s long-time doctor Mr. Wolkan was very specific with the instructions. “ _He’ll need to rest a lot for the upcoming two weeks.”_ he had said with assurance in his voice and Aerys was in no mood to argue with him anyway.  
  
***  
  
He wanted to do more.  
  
Her birthday was only a few days away but surely there was going to be no party whatsoever. Not after her father’s heart attack. Dany had briefly mentioned that she, Missandei and Irri would go for a few drinks on Friday and on Saturday, she’d spend her birthday with her parents, since her father had actually asked to do so. Jon was, unfortunately, in no position to argue with this. Family came first and he knew it very well.  
  
Still, he felt the need to do more. They weren’t going to be able to see for a while, that he understood. He would need to compensate this some other way. Dany was going to be either at work or busy with taking her father to the hospital for the check-ups. Jon understood the gravity of the situation and didn’t complain. He however knew that little surprises would do wonders in such situations, so he decided that he would use the time wisely to make something out of it.  
  
“ _An original piece, only for her ears.”  
“She likes the harpsichord. Oh and actually she likes bagpipes too.”  
  
_A small, short but sweet piece would do the trick. He now had the motivation to actually create something, after so many years.  
***  
  
This routine was even worse. Work-home-hospital-home-repeat. It was so intense she barely spoke to anyone else from her father, Dr. Wolkan, her mother and Rhaegar at work. Her uncle Viserys barely left his office and one could almost think that he was actually concerned about his brother’s health. Knowing her uncle too well, Dany knew that this wasn’t true. Her father was quite the traditional person when it came to work and he was the shield between Viserys and Rhaegar, when it came to the point where who said the final word.  
  
Meanwhile Jon barely contacted her. The early riser he is, he would send her good morning messages, maybe forward something humorous during the day for a bit of fun and a simple good night message. “ _He is either so understanding that he is giving me space or he is distancing himself from me because I shut him out.”_ Dany was constantly thinking. She wanted to make sure he was fine, but then again she had to take care of her father until everything was surely okay. She had asked Jon if everything was okay and he had simply replied that all was well and she should focus on her father first.  
  
It felt weird. Jon was very informative with what he was up to and he always let her know about his daily schedule. Always there for her, always ready to help if something came up. On Thursday he went dead silent. No good morning message, no message or call during the day. Simply nothing. “ _Maybe after all, he is like the rest of them.”_ she thought to herself. He was nowhere to be found after the first sight of trouble. So much was the story of Daenerys Targaryen. Guys approached her boldly and once they came face to face with the danger, they all were lost in mere seconds.  
  
“ _I want you to know that we are in this together now. Whatever happens, good or bad, I’ll be by your side. I just want you to know it.”  
  
_ Those were the exact words he used and well, he sure kept his promise. Dany was pissed but this was something she’d need to deal with once everything was clear. This had to wait for the time being.  
  
***  
  
This was the third sketch he erased.  
  
“ _FUCK!”  
  
_ Nothing sounded like the way it was supposed to. He had experienced getting stuck like this before but time was running out. He had less than a day but nothing was working. “ _All this silence, all this concentration, all this work is going to go to shit.”_ he cursed to himself. He had to concentrate. Focusing at the work itself would solve the problem. Retreating to home, going for runs, working out a little bit more than usual, drinking lightly, then drinking heavily. Nothing worked. Nothing.  
  
Then it hit him. It was right there all along. This didn’t need to be something big, the intention of making something was more important. This short, cute fragment was in his head. He quickly wrote down the theme and lit a cigarette. This was going to work out in the finest way possible. Now he had the grasp of it and he had managed it on his own. Sure it would have been much easier if he could just rant about it to Dany, even for 30 seconds but no, this was meant to be a surprise so he couldn’t do that. “ _Being isolated from the muse sucks big time.”_ he thought to himself and got back to work.  
  
***  
  


Finally Friday evening had come. After what felt like a millennia, Dany was out with Missandei and Irri, at her favorite restaurant. Essosi cuisine with exotic drinks was going to do the trick. Still, she was sulking while they were at the table. She was constantly checking her phone and eventually Missandei was bothered by this.  
  
“ _You’re out for the first time in almost a week and you’re checking your phone? No, you’re putting the damn thing away now.”  
  
“But Jon hasn’t contacted me for 2 days now. Something is wrong. He always called. When he didn’t, he always texted. It’s been radio silence since Wednesday afternoon. Especially after he said he’d be there for me with good or bad. No. This isn’t right at all.”  
  
_Then Irri intervened. Harshly.  
  
“ _You shut him down right? You pushed him away when you needed him and he’s reacting now. Isn’t this always the case? You want them to call you but you push them away. You blabbed about this guy for weeks, we drove you to his party, he reacted exactly the way you wanted and now you’re blaming him for being silent because you pushed him away? No Dany girl. This is not happening I’m telling you. You’re going to be a good girl and you will call him if it’s radio silence tomorrow too. There is no way in hell he’s missing your birthday. He’s cooking up something and I can tell that.”  
  
_ Dany was puzzled. Jon wasn’t necessarily a player. He had always been honest and open since the beginning. Too blunt even. She couldn’t explain why this was happening. Maybe Irri was right and he was preparing something, but Jon wasn’t the type that kept secrets. Still, this wasn’t right.  
  
She so hoped she was wrong.  
  
***  
  
By 23:46 he was done. All he had to do was to send her the track exactly at midnight. It sucked that he wouldn’t be able to see her face when she received it. He wanted to see how happy this would make her. He wasn’t necessarily sure that it would work, but somehow he knew that it would. He had done his best, expressed himself in the very best way he could and all he had to do was to wait.  
  
Exactly at midnight, he sent her the track. Then he sent a brief text, explaining himself.  
  
“ _Sorry for being discrete and silent for the past two days but I had to get this done before the clock hit midnight. This is for you and only for you. I couldn’t come up with a good gift idea, so I decided to give you a piece of myself. I really hope this helps to express how strongly I feel about you. Happy birthday :)”  
  
_ ***  
  
Dany’s phone was buzzing, but one message stood out. Jon had finally come alive.  
  
When she read the text, tears had formed in her eyes. Missandei was the first to notice this and immediately asked what was going on. She just turned the phone towards her and watched her reaction. Missy was beaming with joy. In her mind, this was what her best friend deserved. Irri then took the phone, checked the message and with a confident smile on her face, returned the phone to Dany.  
  
“ _Told you he was cooking up something. Now take your headphones, go out to the back, enjoy your cigarette and listen what he has made for you.”  
  
_ Dany didn’t need any more encouragement to do just that. She took her headphones from her purse, grabbed her pack of cigarettes and headed to the back, where there was some silence. She started listening to this track he had made for her and by thirty seconds into the music, there were tears in her eyes. Nobody had ever done something like this for her. Nobody. This guy once again had shown great heart and she felt almost embarrassed that she thought he was distancing himself. This music was beautiful. She knew she was going to listen to it a thousand times anyway but gods, this man… He had made his way to her heart and he looked like he was there to stay.  
  
She had to call him. This had to happen now. She couldn’t wait any longer.  
  
***  
  
“ _Dany?”  
  
“What you have done… Nobody ever did something like that for me. Nobody. Do you actually know how much that means to me? I’m sure you can’t relate but I cannot express how happy you made me feel. Don’t say anything, just listen. I need you to listen right now. I know I won’t be able to stop listening to this. You planted a piece of yourself into my heart and I don’t know whether this will ever go away. I cannot put my feelings to words and I’m so overwhelmed right now. Please wait for me will you? Please. Please wait for me until next Wednesday. By that time my dad’s appointments will be done and the first thing I’ll do will be to come to you. Please be patient. Please.”  
  
_There was a brief silence but it felt like eternity.  
  
“ _Of course I’ll wait, no worries. Do what you need to do and afterwards I’m yours and you’re mine.”  
_  
She was beaming when she returned to the table and her friends didn’t ask why. They could tell that their dearest Dany was actually in love but wasn’t fully aware of it just yet.  
  
***  
  
It had worked. He had put his everything into it and it had worked.  
  
She was his and he was hers.  
  
It felt good to belong. After so long, it really did feel good.  
  
He had hated being discrete but this had to be done. She wasn’t mad at him so it was all fine. He was proud of himself. Not just for doing what needed to be done but doing what he wanted to do as well. Jon was quite often satisfied when the two parameters intersected. Usually in his business, what he wanted to do and what he was supposed to do would never intersect. Their clients were arrogant assholes who had become rich during the reign of Greyjoy, pompous jerks who had become even worse people with money and power. Jon absolutely despised these people and hated working for them.  
  
“ _One day I’ll work for the right people and then it will feel better.”_ he kept telling himself. One day someone would actually find meaning in what he did, not just on the personal level. For the time being, as long as he could keep feeding himself, everything was fine. Now all he had to do was work hard until next Wednesday and then he’d get to see Dany. This time for sure, there would be no interruptions, no nothing, just the two of them, alone.  
  
***  
  
The last appointment was done. Dr. Wolkan had sent them home with good news that her father was recovering. The dose of the medication was to be raised slightly from now on, but Aerys Targaryen would be fine, as long as he stayed away from stress. Her mother would make sure of that, she knew. Plus she and Rhaegar would need to be careful from now on with the work problems they carried home. Her brother had given her his word, promising that he would keep his conflicts with Viserys during work hours only.  
  
During all this time, Jon had kept the contact in minimum. He was of course very supportive whenever they talked or texted, but that was it. “ _Now he’s giving me the space I need.”_ she thought to herself. Luckily it was over. She drove her dad home and then went to buy a bottle of wine. She would hit Rhaegar’s flat, enjoy a glass of wine with some good music in the background while the final render of the project she had to deliver would take care of itself.  
  
She took a picture of the wine glass and the computer together and sent it to Jon. “ _The last thing I need to do before coming to you.”_ she added. In her mind everything was now set. Once this was done, she’d share the file with Rhaegar and be done with it. While she was watching the render reaching the end, she received a text from Jon. It was a simple picture of his neck and the text read “ _Oh, so you would rather be here, where you belong?”  
  
_ Dany loved it when he would confidently hit below the belt. The humor suited him. If someone else said something like that it wouldn’t be funny one bit, but when he said it, she couldn’t help but giggle like a teenager. “ _You have no idea…”_ she replied. She planned to take the whole day off and just be with him the whole day. Then she thought what if she turned this into an extended weekend. A total of four days only with Jon, no stress, no interruptions. She had to pull this off now, because she really deserved it. When the render ended, she uploaded it to the database and sent the link to Rhaeagar and then gave him a call.  
  
“ _You have everything you need for Friday’s presentation but I need you to cover for me at work for the next two days. Can you do that for your baby sister? Pleeeeease?”  
  
“Fine, but only if you babysit Aegon on next Wednesday. Deal?”  
  
“Deal.”  
  
_***  
  
Dany had called him at 8 a.m. and she sounded like she was the happiest person ever.  
  
“ _Cancel everything you have today, if you haven’t already. I’m coming over.”  
  
_ She had just said that and ended the call. Jon couldn’t help but chuckle. He loved it when Dany was spontaneous, since she barely managed to get off work to come and spend time with him normally. Luckily everything for the week had been taken care of already by Monday evening and he was free until the next week. He would gladly devote all the free time he had to Dany now. Ten minutes after the call, the doorbell rang and Jon knew who was by the door.  
  
She practically jumped into his arms and Jon kissed her like a possessed man. He was thirsting for her and it felt like she was in the same mood. He practically kicked the door closed and carried Dany straight to his bed. This wasn’t the time to wait because they needed each other so badly.  
  
“ _I need you so much right now. I’ve needed you for a long time already.”  
  
_ Jon didn’t need to hear anything more. He kissed her again and then moved down to her neck, getting rid of her clothes one by one. He cupped her perfect breasts and sucked on them until she moaned. He wasn’t going to stop there and nobody could stop him at that point. He continued to move downwards and stripped her jeans away. He had to taste her and he had to do it now. He lost himself between her legs and only cared about her moans afterwards. He kept going until she came but once she begged for him to be inside her, he decided to taste her more. This teasing was killing her, he knew it and he was rock hard for her anyway. He didn’t stop until he made her cum again and only then he slapped on the condom and slipped inside her. It felt fantastic.  
  
***  
  
She wasn’t sure if she could walk straight the next day, but when she thought of it, she laughed at the fact that she didn’t have to. They had gone at it four times already and it was just past noon. This was going to be a long four days for sure. Jon was delighted when she told him that she had taken the next two days off and this was an extended weekend that they would spend together. He never let her out of her sight even though they were in the same place. Always touching her, playing with her hair, holding her hand, hugging her, kissing her, making love to her.  
  
She could get used to this.  
  
Dany considered turning her phone off but Jon had stopped her. “ _Your parents might need you for something, leave it on.”_ he had said. He was so unselfish and considerate, it almost made her cry. He didn’t let her do anything all day, even going as far as carrying her to the bathroom when she needed to visit. Dany had protested, laughed even but he was too strong to resist. He was laughing himself, so Dany had given in to this and just decided to enjoy whatever was coming.  
  
***  
  
 _“Unless you have any objections, I’d like to spend the next three days like this too.”_ he said to her chuckling. He couldn’t help himself about how happy he was and she was beaming with happiness too. “ _No objections your honor.”_ she replied and they both laughed. He held her tight while her head was resting on his chest.  
  
Jon could get used to this. For real.  
  
They talked, slept, ate like crazy and then made love to each other. They told each other all sorts of funny stories from the past, got drunk on that Dornish red that Dany loved so much, only to make love again and again. They made plan after plan and realistically speaking, almost all of those plans were reasonable enough to be accomplished. “ _As long as our parents are healthy, there’s nothing preventing us from doing this.”_ Jon said to her. “ _Not work, not your asshole of an uncle, not my dickhead clients. No one. No one is going to prevent us from having a good time from now on because we’re together.”  
  
_ ***  
  
He sure knew how to talk and how to make promises.  
  
He also knew how to keep them. He was with her whenever necessary. Good or bad, it didn’t matter. She knew it wouldn’t matter. She finally had someone who she could trust with everything. She knew that she needed to open up about her past a little bit more and when she vocalized it, he had responded calmly enough. “ _You do that whenever you feel ready, I’m just glad that you find me trustworthy enough to do that.”_ he had said. Dany didn’t know what she had done to deserve this man.  
  
“ _Do you know what I like the most about you? You don’t turn sideways when you sleep so I can always stay and sleep on your shoulder.”_  
  
“ _You’re so light that I barely feel your weight so I don’t really need to shake you off me. It’s comfortable. YOU are comfortable.”_  
  
With that he had kissed her once more. At that point Dany noticed she was beyond saving. She was falling for this guy and she was falling really hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope this was nice and fluffy enough. To be honest, these emotions are very strong when one lives through them but it's much harder to put them into words. I just wanted to describe how much joy they got by just being together. Like when no words are needed when you're with the person you truly love.
> 
> I'm hoping that whoever is reading this is enjoying this ride as much as I am. More chapters will follow throughout the week.
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated. It's great to hear someone telling you that they liked what you did!
> 
> For those who actually want to listen to that birthday gift, here's a link:  
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/g8vqmeo6999xxal/Gift.mp3?dl=0


	6. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we have some more fluff, because it was deserved.

Going back to work was going to suck big time.  
  
Dany had left Jon’s apartment late Sunday evening. She was tired, worn out, still a bit sour but absolutely happy and satisfied. This was probably the best few days she had in a long while. “ _Look who decided to show up.”_ Rhaegar had said when she entered the flat. She didn’t really want to give him an explanation at all, not about her personal life anyway. She just waved her hand at him and said that she was heading for the bed right away. Luckily Rhaegar didn’t question any further and let her be.  
  
She took her phone out from her purse, sent Jon a text that she was safely home and was going to sleep. He responded quickly by telling her that he was going to do the same. They had devoured each other and Dany had absolutely no regrets. She had barely looked at her phone for the past few days and as soon as she was online, Missandei messaged their group.  
  
“ _Since you’ve been dead silent for about four days, I’m thinking it was good?”  
  
“You wouldn’t believe the half of it…”  
  
“NO WAY. We’re gonna need some details. Some juicy ones in fact. Like seriously… How good was it?”  
  
“The best I’ve ever had.”  
  
_***  
  
When Dany left, Jon was spent. He was physically drained, but in his happiest state of mind in so many years. He still needed to get to work tomorrow and after so many days, he just didn’t want to.  
  
With his typical morning routine, Jon was out of his flat by 10 a.m. He got to the office, made a few phone calls, replied to the e-mails that had piled from the week before. While doing that, he decided to call and check on Dany. She didn’t answer but immediately sent him a text, telling that she was in a long and boring meeting and would call him as soon as she got out.  
  
Both of their routines now included each other. Jon was bored to death at work very often, but apparently so was Dany, so they would just send each other funny texts, complaining about the stupid people they had to deal with during the day. When there was no family issue that Dany had to deal with, she would crash at his place. They tried to spend time together at least once a week. Jon had said that they didn’t need to see every day. He had argued that Dany should have some time for her family and friends and he needed to do the same. That was a delicate balance and quite often neither he, nor his friends would get the balance right and screw up their relationships.  
  
He was determined to not to screw this up.  
  
***  
  
The comfort was there. The only comfort she never had before was finally there. She could just call and crash at his place, call him any time she needed, he was very quick to return her texts and he never made her wait.  
  
It felt good to be able to get away from all the pressure. Her mother had vaguely questioned “ _this new guy”_ in her life and Dany had just said that they would meet him when the time was right. She had assured her mom that she was happy with him so far and made her promise that she wouldn’t tell her dad, yet. She knew how overprotective her parents could get and the last thing she wanted was them smothering Jon, interrogating him with endless questions and so on. It was still too early.  
  
She had asked him about all this meeting the parents fuzz and he was calm as always. “ _Whenever you deem fit.”_ he had responded. He had stressed the point that they were in no rush and probably they should start by properly introducing each other to friends. While his calm nature was really soothing, sometimes she felt like she was constantly complaining and bothering him. When she had voiced that concern he hadn’t said anything and just looked at her with no emotion in his eyes. Dany had almost jumped him at that moment and just when she was saying “ _Oh so you do think that I’m complaining constantly?”_ he hadn’t let her finish the sentence by kissing her. That had made Dany notice that despite being together, they were still getting to know each other and Jon was just so very straightforward with the things he liked or disliked. There was no sugarcoating about anything, ever.  
  
It had taken Dany a while to get used to the way he said “ _No problem_ ” or “ _It’s fine.”_ Usually people would use these lines to just to get her to shut up or end an argument. Though when Jon said these, there really was no problem and it _was_ fine.   
  
***  
  
Stability. That was the word. The summary of everything.  
  
Jon felt at peace. Not maybe at work, when he had to deal with clients and especially the idiots, who didn’t know what was being done for them, but once it was over and he got home, all was well. If Dany was crashing at his place, it was even better. They sometimes fell asleep on the couch before midnight and sometimes just passionately made love throughout the night. Everything came easily with her around and he was happy.  
  
They had made plans together for the Intercontinental Final-Four tournament since the Wolves had again made it there, for the fifth time in a row. The semi-final game would be against Harrenhall Ducks, whom they both despised. The Ducks’ coach Joffrey Baratheon was almost an object of hate around the continent and gods Jon would like to get his hands on that little arrogant bastard. Dany shared his enthusiasm when it came to this hatred and they would go at it for at least half an hour, insult after insult, until they reached the point that they would start laughing.  
  
***  
  
Wolves had lost to the Ducks and Dany hated the whole world. Plus Jon was in no mood to comfort her either, which sucked. He was utterly pissed; he had buried his head to her neck and stayed there for minutes after the game had ended. This was a different feeling than she was used to. Usually it was her who was seeking comfort from him but this time the roles were reversed. They had walked to the cab stop from the bar hand in hand and when it was time for them to depart, Jon looked like he didn’t want to let go. He held her tight, kissed her numerous times and then finally said “ _I wish you didn’t have work tomorrow so you could come and stay for the night.”_ Dany was speechless at that point but she knew the way she looked at him, he understood how she felt. He cupped her face and kissed her passionately once more before letting her take the first cab, as he was going to walk home.  
  
“ _So he does seek comfort too.”_ Dany thought to herself during the cab ride. Jon wasn’t the type of man who would openly exhibit his insecurities. He had no problem about talking the emotional abuse from his past with her, but he always looked strong. This was the first time she had seen him like this. “ _He gets even more passionate than I do with the team, but he hides it very well.”_ The thought made Dany smile; he was after all an artist, whose emotions could be sky high when the right button was pressed. Still, Jon was never upset about something for more than a day. Once his head hit the pillow, the next day he would wake up in a better mood and immediately try doing better with what was wrong. She admired that about him. He would pay attention to details but never got lost in them. He was never stuck on something more than necessary and especially when political issues came up, he always soothed her by telling her that she shouldn’t batter herself with things she cannot fix herself. He was quite often the voice of reason in this relationship and that was Dany’s biggest comfort.  
  
***  
  
New day, new game.  
  
Jon wasn’t the type to sulk forever over a game. Yes it had been disturbing, yes it had sucked but sadness wouldn’t last forever. Despite it being Saturday, he decided to wake up early and go for a run. He at least tried to stay in shape more after the military. Plus it helped with his mood, so that was a plus. He slapped his running gear on and went at an easygoing tempo. The music in his ears was helping clear his head. Surely Rammstein was effective when he needed to burst and to have a clear head after the run was over.  
  
Then Dany called.  
  
“ _One loss and you forget to say good morning to me. I took you for a better man, Jon Snow.”  
  
_ The sarcasm in her voice made him laugh. He slowed down to a walking tempo and caught his breath.  
  
“ _I was actually running your royal highness. Didn’t take you for an early riser on Saturday. Everything okay?”  
  
“Yep. Just wanted to make sure you were okay too. You weren’t in your most pleasant state yesterday. Got me worried.”  
  
“Well, I’m willing to show you my most pleasant state if you want to come over tonight.”  
  
“I would love to.”  
  
_***  
  
Wrapping the day up as fast as possible, Dany made her way to Jon’s flat. On her way she had called to see if he needed anything at home but he had casually replied “ _I need you and nothing more._ ” On a daily routine he would make fun of those cheesy responses and then would use them himself. Dany was sure that he was having fun when he made remarks like that and she found these strangely funny herself. “ _When he says stuff like that, I can’t help but laugh.”_ she thought. Some things were just fine because he said them. She wouldn’t have even taken the humor from someone else. _“Maybe he’s too much aware of his effect on me.”_ she mused. One thing was for sure, he wasn’t aware of his good looks. He had openly said at some point that he was trying to stay in shape just for her taste. Dany had adored how honest he could get sometimes.  
  
He had made finger food. LOTS of it. When she was getting rid of her coat, he was still preparing some stuff in the kitchen. Dany was shocked and amused at the same time. “ _Are you sure this is just for the two of us?”_ she had asked, not able to hold her laughter. He had responded with a simple yes. He was so enthusiastic about food; Dany came to notice that all she had eaten the whole day was a small sandwich. When she had said that out loud, Jon had gotten very serious so suddenly that Dany was almost scared.  
  
“ _That can’t happen again. Promise me that won’t happen again.”  
  
“It happens sometimes, why did you get so serious so suddenly?”  
  
“Because it concerns your health and it is serious.”  
  
“Come on, you are upset with me because I barely ate?”  
  
“No I’m not upset, I’m just concerned. Your health is important to me and if necessary I’ll make sure that you’re eating properly.”  
  
“You sounded like my mom just now.”  
  
“Well, give her my regards. Seems like we agree on some things already.”  
  
_Dany knew he was serious but he wasn’t upset. When he noticed that she was devouring her food, he looked satisfied and happy. He just took her under his arm and kissed her forehead. It was difficult for Dany to register this because nobody had ever treated her this way.  
  
“ _Why are you like this?”  
  
“Like how?”  
  
“Like, why do you treat me like I’m the last living thing on this planet?”  
  
“Because you deserve it?”  
  
“Seriously, what makes you think that?”  
  
“Because you are you. That makes me think that.”  
  
_***  
  
She had jumped him so fast that he barely could react. She was on his lap, kissing him like a woman possessed. Devouring him, experiencing him. His shirt was already off before he could say anything. He wasn’t going to sit there and wait though. He just lifted her into his arms and stood up. Her legs were wrapped around him and just as he was walking towards the bedroom, she stopped him.  
  
“ _No. Take me here. I need you now and here.”  
  
“As my queen commands.”  
  
_With that, they had lost the track of time. After a while, they were comfortably silent on his bed; the only thing being heard was their breathing. He was lazily playing with Dany’s hair while her head was resting on his chest. She then turned to him and nuzzled his face. “ _I can really get used to this.”_ she said to him and he felt the same. “ _I like it when we sleep and wake up together.”_ he replied. They both were feeling so peaceful that it was almost unreal.  
  
Far away from all the troubles of this shit world, they slept as peacefully as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at the end of chapter six, where finally everything is in place. Unfortunately things will start becoming a bit sour from this point onwards, because that's practically how life is. Neither the good, nor the bad lasts forever, at least not in such a stable manner.
> 
> You might have noticed other relationship tags, some of which are very much in the background while one has never been mentioned up to this point. The story will start expanding towards other characters as paths cross and people will become more involved with each other. 
> 
> Once again thank you all for reading and commenting!


	7. Two Weddings and A Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Dany attend seperate weddings and things take a bitter turn.

Finally it was Jaime and Elia’s wedding day and Oberyn was beside himself. He had called Jon around 8 in the morning and asked him to come over. Jon, being the good friend he was had quickly dressed up, took his suit from the cabinet and headed over to the Martell residence. Jon was no stranger to the Martell family but at the same time he was well liked by the Lannisters too. In the engagement party a few months back, both families had wanted Jon to sit at the big family table, instead of getting shitfaced with the rest of the theater people. Jon had happily obliged but they had ended up getting shitfaced together with Oberyn anyway.  
  
Jon had wanted to take Dany to this wedding. It would have been an easy going event, plus with most of his close friends attending, it would have been really practical with getting the proper introduction out of the way. Dany was positive about attending, until she found out that it actually clashed with the wedding of a relative, which she had to attend. Since there was no escape from that, they had decided that they could host some sort of small party at Jon’s place and Dany would be present too so that she’d get to meet his closest friends properly. “ _That would work nicely.”_ Jon had thought to himself when the wedding plans had to change.  
  
By 4 p.m. close friends were arriving one by one. Jon had done his best about staying away from alcohol but as the hour approached, Jaime was getting super nervous. Jon had tried to calm down his partner but nothing had worked. Finally Oberyn had entered the room with a bottle of scotch, their favorite to be specific. “ _It is time boys.”_ he said and poured each one of them a glass. Jaime, who was the youngest of their group, was going to be the first one to tie the knot. They had one final private moment, enjoyed their drinks and started dressing up.  
  
***  
  
The only consolation for Dany was that Missy and Irri were going to be there too. She would have rather been with Jon, be there with him for his friend’s big moment. Dany didn’t know Jaime all too well, they had only met twice, but she knew how important he was for Jon. He had sent her a picture of himself in a suit and gods he looked dashing. All she could think about was that how she’d like to tear him apart and devour him, drink him in slowly.  
  
They arrived at the manor house where the wedding would be held. Dany had never been to Stokeworth before but she could tell that she didn’t like the place. As an architect, Dany was rather fond of the places where the old was preserved and renovated, not re-made in some tasteless, futuristic style. She could tell that the owner of the place had come into power and made his fortune during the Greyjoy reign. “ _Tasteless, useless assholes.”_ she muttered to herself as they made their way into the hall where the ceremony was to be held.  
  
Somebody screamed her name and when she turned around, she saw Doreah, their longtime friend, who had married early into the Tyrell family and moved to Highgarden. Irri had never really liked her that much but, they could bear with her for the night. She had joined them for the cocktails, little bit of chit-chat and so on. Dany was already bored and this wedding couldn’t be over soon enough.  
  
So she drank. A lot.  
  
***  
  
This was going to be a mess. It was just after the ceremony and everyone was so drunk that Jon didn’t know how they would get home. Oberyn was like a cloud of alcohol already, while Jaime and Elia were going through tables, doing shot after shot while the people were congratulating them. Luckily the food was excellent. Dornish cuisine mixed with the refreshing treats of the Westerlands, this was a grand feast for sure. Wine flew like crazy but Jon and his friends were mainly into the anise liquor from Braavos. Jon, having lived in Braavos, knew the drink very well and always brought a bottle or two for his friends, whenever he was home for the holidays.  
  
People from the art scene were the majority of the crowd. There were a few surprises, some big names as well. The mighty Tywin Lannister knew quite the stars back in his time. His untimely passing had left Joanna Lannister in charge of the family and Jaime’s elder brother Tyrion had eventually taken over the business, after having studied theater himself. Jon wasn’t necessarily so involved with all these people and the business itself. Plus it didn’t help that he despised some of the people that Lannisters did business with. Tyrion had once explained it to him as this was the only possible way out for their family company to stay alive, while maintaining neutrality.  
  
Times like these always made Jon realize that he wanted a quiet, simple life, away from all the politics and all the stress. Dany had mentioned to him that how much she would want to live in Valyria. Jon closed his eyes for a moment, imagined the two of them together living in a house by one of those wonderful beaches. Then when he opened his eyes, the harsh reality of Westeros and its people slapped him in the face.  
  
So he drank. A lot.  
  
***  
  
Dany was uncomfortable. About work, about being stuck in this stupid wedding, about having to face her uncle once she got back to work. About almost everything actually when she thought of it. The only comforting presence was Jon and he was as stuck as she was with everything. Doreah’s presence had bugged her quite a lot, her manners were as fake as it would get with anyone, plus she knew that she had slept her way around to where she was and found it disturbing. She had even tried to hit on Viserys and later tried her way with Rhaegar, only to get shut down for good. She had somehow seduced Willas Tyrell and married her way into one of the wealthiest families around.  
  
All night long, she had asked about some of the business inquiries between the Targaryens and the Tyrells. Dany knew she wasn’t supposed to say anything to an outsider so did her best to avoid all those disturbing questions. She had pretended to check her phone, looking busy with it, all the while what she was doing was that reading what Jon had last written to her.  
  
“ _I know. I’d also rather be alone with you, somewhere quiet and isolated.”  
  
_ Being away from him disturbed her even more. The feeling fueled her desire for alcohol and she drank. The amount of Dornish wine she consumed was quite a lot for her a person of size. She was tiny, had barely eaten during the wedding and was feeling really fuzzy. The last thing she remembered clearly was that she was saying out loud to Missy and Irri, how much she hated the work, her uncle, how she would kill to buy his shares so she never had to see his smug face ever again.  
  
And then it all went to black.  
  
***  
  
Jon woke up on his own bed, barely remembering the final details of the night. The last thing he remembered was that he had to drag Oberyn to his place because he was unable to go home on his own. He was really frustrated when they got home, ranting about this girl Ellaria, whom he clearly wanted to impress but didn’t have the time or the chance to even have a decent conversation with. Thinking of Oberyn and his past conquests, Jon chuckled at the idea that he would settle down, but then again when he looked at himself, it didn’t look impossible. Just a few months ago almost all of his friends were convinced that Jon wouldn’t marry or settle down; not that he was a serial womanizer but just not considered to be the type to try and live a family life.  
  
His mind went to Dany once he left the bed. He looked at the clock and it was past midday. He decided that he’d call her and give it a try but there was no answer. Dany liked to sleep long on Sundays anyway, so he decided to not to disturb her again until she woke up. “ _She’ll call back when she sees that I called anyway.”_ he thought to himself. Careful enough to not to wake up Oberyn, he went to the kitchen and started making some coffee. This would be a rather silent and slow Sunday, one he wished to spend with Dany, if she was by any means in any shape to do something. Just when he moved towards the coffee machine to pour himself a cup, his phone buzzed.  
  
“ _My head weighs like a million tons and even looking at the screen hurts my eyes.”  
  
“Do you want me to come over and bring you some disgustingly greasy food that would do wonders?”  
  
“I would, then again I don’t want you to suffer from the terror of my parents, especially when I’m not in the state to interfere or shield you.”  
  
“In that case, I’ll order that food to your house :)”  
  
“You are so sweet and I’m really in no shape to argue, so I’ll take it :)”  
  
“Do that and call me when you feel more alive. I might drop by to take you to this fancied park of yours for some fresh air and silence if you’ll be up for it.”  
  
“Sounds nice. Will call once I’m more alive :)”  
  
_Just when the texting ended, Oberyn woke up with a loud bang. He was complaining about how his head was killing him and how in the fuck he had ended up in Jon’s apartment.  
  
“ _Was I really in no shape to get home by myself?”  
  
“Wouldn’t have taken you here if you were.”  
  
“Thank the gods you have made coffee. Argh. Fuck my life. At least tell me that I didn’t embarrass myself with Ellaria. I didn’t, right?”  
  
“No and she looked rather taken with you. Still, you should call her for a proper first date. Be yourself and the rest shall come easy to you.”  
  
_***  
  
Jon had remembered and ordered her favorite pizza which was the meatiest possible. Plus, he had added fried chicken wings and extra fries to the side. Dany loved how he paid attention to what she did under certain circumstances. She had just mentioned about her hangover food once to him and he had remembered, again while he didn’t look like he was paying attention to what she was saying.  
  
She knew that work was going to be hell next week and wasn’t sure if she would have the chance to hang out with Jon until next Sunday, so she decided call and ask him to the park. She had put on her casual clothes, knowing that Jon would most probably show up with his running gear, she didn’t need to look fancy. 10 minutes after the call, Jon was by the park and she slowly made her way to the park. They walked around a little, enjoyed this warm early summer evening, got some coffee and ice-cream from that little kiosk in the middle of the park and Jon walked her back home. She noticed that her mom was by the window and she had actually seen Jon, so there would be questions in order, once she made her way into the flat.  
  
“ _So this is the new guy of yours. I couldn’t see that clearly but he looked handsome.”  
  
_ Dany decided that there was no escape from this so she took out her phone and showed a picture of theirs to her mom. She smiled to Dany and just said “ _I hope he treats you as well as his looks. You seem to be happy with him so don’t rush anything.”_ and left for the living room.  
  
After a good long night’s sleep, Dany was up by 9 a.m without any troubles. She dressed herself for the occasion and left for work immediately. When she got to her office, her secretary had said to her that Viserys was expecting her in his office. She nodded, left her bag to her desk and moved to her uncle’s office.  
  
When she walked in, Viserys and Rhaegar were again locked in a very furious argument.  
  
“ _Because of your sister’s stupidity, now it looks like there is infighting within the company and they are using it to strong-arm us into taking this shit of a deal.”  
  
“There IS infighting in the company as you haven’t noticed until now. What the hell are we doing here uncle, are we discussing some details in a civilized manner, or are we shouting at each other like every other time?”  
  
“We knew that, but they didn’t Oh hi, Dany dear. We were just talking about how you fucked up on Saturday, glad you could join us.”  
  
“What fuck up? What could she have possibly done to make you this furious this time?”  
  
_And then Viserys took out his phone to show them the video.  
  
“ _I abso-fucking-lutely hate my uncle and how he runs the company. You know that I would kill to actually buy him out so I never have to see his fucking smug face again?”  
  
_ There was an uncomfortable silence. This couldn’t have happened.  
  
“ _That fucking whore Doreah, who tried to get into my pants years ago, is now using this to strong-arm us. She has shown this video to Olenna Tyrell and now she is aware that there is in-fighting here. We’ll now need to settle for the amount that they offered and you Dany, you will handle the negotiations and sign everything. I won’t be further embarrassing myself by signing those agreements, because you couldn’t keep your fucking mouth shut when I specifically told you to do so.”  
  
_ That fucking Doreah. She had sold her out for a seat at the table. The worse thing was that Viserys was actually right. She had fucked up and she didn’t know how to clean this mess.  
  
“ _You will attend all those meetings; you’ll make all the phone calls, type ALL THE FUCKING E-MAILS YOURSELF. I will take a long absence from work, go to Pentos with my family and will not return until late October. You Rhaegar, you can take time off if necessary, since your hands are clean when it comes to this. However Daenerys will have no summer vacation, no time off, only maybe sometimes during the weekends, if everything for the week is taken care of by mid-Saturday. Am I understood?”  
  
_ Rhaegar just nodded. The silence was even more uncomfortable now. Then Viserys once again opened his mouth and this would be the worst blow below the belt.  
  
“ _Now I won’t tell your father about this, but from this point onwards, you’ll do everything as I say. You’ll be the first one to arrive and the last one to leave because now you’ll have my workload on you too. If something like this ever happens again, not only I will fire you for incompetence, I will also expose you as the embarrassment you are for this family. Now get the fuck out of my office and leave me in peace.”  
  
_ Those 50 meters from her uncle’s office to her own felt like a thousand miles long.  
  
***  
  
Jon wasn’t in the best of moods. Jaime was on his honeymoon and wouldn’t return for the next two weeks. The entire burden was now on him. Tyrion had called him and said that if any help was necessary, he was there to oblige. After thanking him for the courtesy, Jon went through the numbers with their accountant, signed the necessary papers and went to meet with a client.  
  
“ _I shouldn’t be dealing with these things. I should be in the studio, composing.”  
  
_ He knew that these two weeks would go on like this so he did his best to mentally prepare himself to last, without having a nervous breakdown. He decided to call Dany and tell her that these two weeks would be a bitch and ask her that whether it would be okay if she spent more than the regular two days at his place. He knew that he needed her presence to get through these stressful times. What he didn’t know was that Dany had found herself in a much, much worse situation and would go on to isolate herself from everything and everyone.  
  
She had said to him that the work would be terrible for her as well; she would need to take extra work home so weeknights were out of question. “ _Maybe on the weekends.”_ She had just said and left it at that. No rescheduling, no other dates, no other ideas. Just that. Jon had found it to be weird, very unlike Dany but had complied. He didn’t want to put more pressure on her while she was under so much stress. She barely could catch a break when the workload was normal and when it was even more loaded, he understood that he’d rather try and get her to relax, whenever he could.  
  
***  
  
For two weeks, Dany had been living like a zombie. Immediately after that shitstorm at her uncle’s office, she had started her antidepressant. She couldn’t bear feeling any emotion; she had to solely focus on work and work alone. She couldn’t tell Jon at all. “ _He’ll think lowly of me. He’ll think that I’m a stupid woman who cannot control her liquor. He’ll be ashamed of me for what I’ve done. He will never want to see me again.”_ she kept thinking and couldn’t bear the thought of it. All she wanted to do was to cry in his arms and do nothing else.  
  
They hadn’t seen throughout those two weeks. He was very busy himself, so it looked like he didn’t have the time to actually figure out what was going on with her. He would still send her good morning messages, would call occasionally and was very caring and sweet. He had said to her that whatever there was there to handle; they could do it faster and better together. She had thought that would have been the case only before everything had collapsed on her. “ _It is too late, even for him to save me.”_ she thought to herself. Jon was such a darling, who would do anything for her but she had to leave Jon out of this. She couldn’t let him take a hit for what she had done. It wasn’t possible.  
  
Another week had passed before what looked like the end of his patience. He had called her three times during the day, to none of those she could actually answer. She was afraid that he would crack her and cause her to spill the beans and that would be the end of it.  
  
“ _Will you please tell me what is wrong with you? I know the pressure from work is horrible but there is something else, that I can tell.”  
  
“It’s related to work, I don’t want to drown you with it any further. I feel like I’ve been complaining about everything since we met and I don’t want to do that to you.”  
  
“It’s not complaining, it’s sharing. I told you that we were in this together so let us be in this together. It won’t kill me, I promise.”  
  
“Okay I fucked up something really bad but please, I don’t want to talk about it. When I even think of it I feel depressed. It’s nothing you can fix anyway; you’re not involved with this company. I have to face this alone.”  
  
“Was it again something that your uncle said? I swear I’ll kill that son of a bitch if he was again mean to you for no reason.”  
  
“No. I mean yes, he was mean but I deserved it. Can we please talk about something else now? Please. I need to bury this thing down to the ground so low that it cannot surface again to bother me.”  
  
_There was an awkward silence. It felt like he didn’t know how to respond to that. Jon Snow, who could come up with a response to almost everything, was out of words. Then she heard him sigh, but there was no relief in it.  
  
“ _Whatever you say. I should probably go now. My parents are soon coming back from Tarth. They will be here for a while for my father’s doctor’s appointments. Any chance you’d like to meet them while they are around?”  
  
“I don’t think I’ll have the time to do that. But have fun with them and I hope all the check-up results will turn out to be fine. See you.”  
  
_With that, she had pushed him away. She knew so much. It felt wrong. So wrong that she had to blink back her tears until she managed to get home. She entered Rhaegar’s flat since he was with his family and finally after experiencing some silence, she burst out in tears. She cried herself to sleep for the first time in so many years.  
  
***  
  
This wasn’t getting any better. It was almost for a month now that they hadn’t seen. That had clearly soured his mood and although they were in contact every day, she never arranged something with him anymore. Jon couldn’t fathom what was wrong. The only thing Dany said was that it was work related and nothing more. His parents being around was keeping him busy, but he so felt the need to be alone, whenever he couldn’t be with Dany. Everything had become more frustrating now, he was getting upset rather quickly and he was constantly in a foul mood.  
  
His mom had noticed his foul mood because she knew his baby boy very well. Lyanna Stark was and always had been a caring mother. She knew that her son would face his problems and quite often solve them on his own but she didn’t want to pressure him, that much was for sure. Jon had started arriving at home at late hours and quite often too drunk for his standards. Still, they both have refrained from talking about what was wrong with Jon, as almost everyone had the idea and the knowledge that Jon would take care of it, no matter what.  
  
It was the final doctor’s appointment for Arthur Dayne. The result of this appointment would show what the future held for his dad. His doctor had run a few tests and finally it was the time to see the results.  
  
“ _So Mr. Dayne, I’m pleased to tell you that your results are what we expected and wanted. You won’t have to wear the varsity socks anymore, unless you’re travelling somewhere and the travel duration is more than an hour. Plus, the anticoagulants are now redundant. No need to take those as well. This means that you can have your gastrocele taken care of soon enough.”  
  
_ They went out to celebrate these wonderful news. His old man had suffered a lot from all these surgeries, injuries and illnesses for the past five years. Finally being able to enjoy some good quality time with his parents was a joy for Jon. A juicy steak, some good Dornish red and his parents finally in a cheerful mood meant the world to him. If only Dany was in a better mood too, everything would be fine.  
  
The next day, he decided to call her again to ask how she was doing. He then told her the good news that his father’s health was improving and asked about hers. Jon had never met Aerys Targaryen but he was surely an important figure to him already. Inevitably the conversation came to the point where he again asked Dany what was really wrong.  
  
“ _Are you ever going to tell me what happened?”  
  
“Uhm, probably never? I mean I hope I will never have to tell you because it will go away.”  
  
“Dany how bad can this be? I mean did you actually have my parents murdered and replaced them with faceless men of the old Braavos? Seriously, they have been in a much better mood lately and if that was the case, you’ve done something nice, don’t worry.”  
  
_She couldn’t help but chuckle at the humor but then had seriously replied.  
  
“ _No, it’s as I said related to work. Don’t you always tell me that I shouldn’t batter myself with things I cannot fix? This isn’t something you cannot fix, so please let go.”  
  
“How do you know I cannot fix this? Have you even confronted the issue at all?”  
  
“No and I won’t. Not all of us here are strong or confrontational like you. I’m not you okay? I can never be. Just because you don’t back down from challenges or maintain your composure under stress, doesn’t mean that I can do the same.”  
  
“If you only shared the burden…”  
  
“No I will not. You know what; you have been smothering me with this now. I said to you that I don’t want to talk about this, yet you kept asking. Whether you are being really concerned or just being bossy, I cannot tell from your attitude. So how about this; we never talk about this again and we go back to being normal?”  
  
_He barely could register what he had heard. Only then he noticed that they were actually on the phone and Dany couldn’t see that he was nodding to himself.  
  
“ _Okay.”  
  
_ The call had ended there and Jon noticed that he had never been more helpless in his whole life. Not when he was shit broke in Braavos, not when he struggled with getting a job after coming back to Westeros, not even when he had to stand by and listen to his idiot clients go on and on about their stupid shit. Not ever. This woman had first roasted him alive and then tore him to pieces. He could have fired back but then it would transform into a big, endless fight, from which neither of them had any gain.  
  
 _“If space is what she wants, space is what she’ll get.”_ he said to himself and put his phone away. The fury and stubbornness of Jon Snow was something nobody liked to experience but now the caged animal in him was unleashed. Jon knew that he would have to temper himself before contacting Dany and it would take some time.  
  
***  
  
When had he become this resistant? She had said stuff that she already regretted and that was even worse. Now he was going to blame her for taking it out on him. All that stress, all that pressure, needing to put a mask on in front of her father, keeping this terrible secret from him, all these horrible fights now they had started having with Rhaegar because of what had happened, it was piling up and she was crumbling under this.  
  
She couldn’t take it anymore. She didn’t have the courage to face Jon either. Her only comfort was gone. She had made sure of it. She had shut him away, when all he wanted was to try and help her. She had been blaming herself for everything around her now and even Jon didn’t understand her. Maybe if only she had told him what had happened he would have but then again there was no guarantee that he would be as understanding as she hoped. She was sure she had broken his heart with her attitude and knew that it would take time for him to contact her. She felt terrible about their argument and couldn’t prevent the tears forming in her eyes.   
  
Crying herself to sleep had almost become a standard for the past month. Dany hated her life, hated herself, hated everything around her. Everything was crumbling and all she could do was to try and put some things into place while everything kept crumbling. She desperately needed Jon but she couldn’t face him out of fear either. What kind of karma was this, she couldn’t fathom. Her life had lost its meaning and she couldn’t bear living like this anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Things have become sour after a series of events. This chapter relied on lots of real life experiences as I have come to learn that communication is after all, the most important thing in any sort of relationship.
> 
> The next chapter will be the last one for a while where the main focus is on Jon and Dany's inner turmoils and thoughts as the other characters will start coming forward and some of them will appear for the first time. Jon and Dany still will be in the center of the events, but povs will start altering more.


	8. The Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get messed up. Big time.

It had been five days. He hadn’t called, hadn’t sent a text. His twitter was dead, his instagram was dead. Radio silence. It was disturbing. She had tried reaching Jaime via instagram and he hadn’t replied to her message. Oberyn was always an option but then again ever the diplomat; he would know how to leave her hanging by saying a lot of stuff without actually giving her the simplest clue.  
  
She had to break the ice. This was going to require a lot of nerve. He could always respond harshly and really could hurt her with his words. Dany had barely seen his angry side but what she had seen was already scary. That was the thing with guys like Jon. The type that was always calm and relaxed, barely rising with anger at all could burn down everything with fury if constantly hit in the same place and she had done that to him.  
  
She hesitated with calling him. She had to gather her courage and just apologize. But then again what would be his trust level? He wasn’t the type that kept secrets and didn’t appreciate her keeping secrets from him, that was clear enough. She couldn’t still find it in herself to tell him about that huge fuck up. Just when she was getting lost in her thoughts, her phone started buzzing. Hoping that it was Jon, she picked up her phone, only to see it was Olenna Tyrell who was calling. Dany did like the old woman in person, but hated doing business with her. She couldn’t leave her hanging, so reluctantly, she took the call.  
  
“ _What can I do for you Mrs. Tyrell?”  
  
“Oh Dany dear, always a joy to hear your voice.”  
  
“Can we please cut to the chase? I’ve got a lot on my plate.”  
  
“Oh, you ARE your father’s daughter after all. Did you know that they used to call him the Mad King back in his time?”  
  
“You’re still not getting to the point. I already asked you what can I do for you.”  
  
“Alright Dany dear, let me get to the point then. We’ll need you to come to Highgarden this weekend, where my pompous oaf of a son Mace will handle the last part of the contract negotiations and afterwards, we’ll start the orders so your company can finally make some money.”  
  
“Have your secretary e-mail mine about the exact details. I have to go now. Good day Mrs. Tyrell.”  
  
_***  
  
This wasn’t easy at all. He had taken a heavy workload to keep his mind off things. Keep his mind off Dany to be specific and he was failing miserably. Sure he completed all the work like it was breakfast, but still there was emptiness inside him. He couldn’t comprehend how they got here and couldn’t really tell whether it was his fault. Maybe he could have been gentler he thought at first but then again, he actually was gentle enough. “ _Unless she stops keeping secrets between us, I can never fully trust her.”_ he thought to himself. Just when he was deciding that it would be the time for lunch break, Jaime entered the studio and asked him about lunch. There was this wonderful burger place quite near their office so they decided to head there. Once they were seated, Jaime didn’t waste any time to get to business.  
  
“ _So the reason I wanted to have lunch with you is about the general nature of things. I can tell, you’re barely sleeping, you’re drinking heavily every night, you show up at work like a zombie, I cannot understand how you can actually get shit done like this but since you’re doing excellent work, I cannot complain as your partner. But as your friend I want to know what is wrong and what can I do for you to make things better. Just tell me and take all the time you need. We don’t necessarily need to get back to the office for the rest of the day, for you have done three days’ work in 2 hours.”  
  
“It’s about Dany. Something has happened with her, she claims that it was a big fuck up at work and has constantly told me to stay away from it but she wouldn’t tell me what it is and you know how I get about secrets. Sure I’m good at keeping them but I don’t like them. Plus we had this awful phone call about a week ago and since then we haven’t spoken. I want to make things right, but she shut me out decisively. I don’t know if I actually want to call her again or whether she wants to see me again. I feel empty inside. That’s what’s up.”  
  
_Jaime stared at him for a while when he was finished. Then took a sip from his glass of water and started talking again.  
  
“ _Jon I’ve known you for years. You’re ever the helpful person. You always put other people’s interests in front of yours on occasions like this but you have to think of yourself too man. You’re a great guy and from what you’ve told me so far, she’s a great person too. Still, everybody have their ups and downs and apparently she’s going through a tough time. If you want to be supportive, don’t sound like an asshole when she calls to break the ice, because she will call. Trust me on this and you won’t have to wait long enough. The weekend is approaching anyway and maybe that’s when she’ll try and arrange something to actually see you, sit down and talk with you face to face. Now she might not want to talk about her burdens and if she doesn’t want help, you cannot help her. Do you understand what I’m saying?”  
  
“So I need to pretend that this supermassive black hole of a secret doesn’t exist between us. You know I can’t do that. Sure, I already stopped asking but all this has already made me question the integrity of this relationship. What if it isn’t related to work? What if it is about someone else and she’s too scared to tell me? What is it that she couldn’t trust me with? I told her a million times that I wouldn’t judge her for who she was because I like her for who she was. Still, this feels absurd and wrong. In any case I’ll heed your advice because apparently everyone else is smarter than I am when it comes to relationships. Maybe you know, I should just admit that I suck and move away from all this. I could always be married to work?”  
  
_Jaime had laughed after this and waived him off. They would enjoy their food and actually leave for home after dropping by shortly at the office. This wasn’t necessarily a bad day. Friends did indeed make things better for you when you were feeling down.  
  
***  
  
She had called Irri after work and headed straight to her place. She needed to talk to someone; otherwise it was going to kill her. Her head was about to explode and she had to do something about it. Irri was the cold hard truth, the realistic part of their group, while Missy was good at handling the emotional stuff. She would need her advice too, but first it was about doing the right thing.  
  
“ _No, I don’t think he’s gonna be mad at you when he finds out.”_ Irri had said. “ _And I’m stressing when here, because this will come out sooner or later. Your uncle is not to be trusted, he will blackmail you with this for sure but he’s not alone. That whore Doreah, she will look for gaps in your business now that she has her claws all over that deal. No, Jon isn’t the type who would judge you for what you’ve done but if there is something he’s gonna get angry about, that would be you keeping this a secret from him and shutting him out. I’m wondering, why are you always trying to shut people out when you actually need them? You barely talked to any of us for the past month, you skipped the weekly meetings with some lame excuse and you are actually only here now because you don’t have the nerve to go to Jon. At least call him and try to break the ice. If you ask nicely, he might agree to go along with your pace but ask him nicely. Don’t order him around like you did when you exploded at him on the phone. Now finish your drink and go home. I won’t have you sulk here for the rest of the night. Gather yourself and do it quick.”  
  
_Dany couldn’t help but smile at Irri’s brash behavior but then again, that’s how she was. Always knew what to say and where to say. She knew she would heed the advice given to her and she would do it quick.  
  
***  
  
Jaime’s words had motivated him and made him feel better. So he had showed up at work a bit more sober and more cheerful the next day. Quickly rushing into the studio, he had completed the day’s tasks, sent out the necessary e-mails and made a couple of quick phone calls. He hoped to take the rest of the day off and meet a longtime friend who was in town for a couple of days. Jaime was okay with it if he was gone in the afternoon, as long as everything was ready to be delivered tomorrow. Just before heading for lunch, he checked his messages.  
  
“ _Good morning.”  
  
_Dany. It was sent a little after 11 a.m. So she was going to try and break the ice. He remembered that Jaime had warned him about not sounding like an asshole. He was going to be constructive so he typed in a quick reply.  
  
“ _It’s afternoon already but sure, good morning to you too.”  
  
_Maybe three minutes had passed when she called.  
  
“ _Hi.”  
  
“Hi yourself. What can I do for you?”  
  
“Uhm, is this a business call? That’s how I respond when I’m making business calls.”  
  
“Not necessarily but still. I didn’t think you would call anytime soon. Is there something wrong?”  
  
“No. I mean sure, everything is still wrong at work but I’m doing better. I just wanted to hear your voice. We haven’t had any contact for six days and I was worried.”  
  
_At that time Jon had all the chances in the world to sound like an asshole but he let this one slip.  
  
“ _Well, I’m fine. Still breathing and burying myself under a heavy workload. How about you? Are your weekends easing up at least?”  
  
“No, not really. This weekend I’m supposed to go Highgarden to close this deal. It looks and sounds like a holiday when you mention Highgarden but unfortunately it’s a business trip.”  
  
“Still good for you. A change of air is always nice I’ve been told. Since you’re away for the weekend, I guess we won’t see again for a while, right?”  
  
“Unfortunately no. I have a dentist’s appointment today though, maybe if I get off early enough, we meet quickly?”  
  
_“ _Well I’ll be around your dentist’s in the afternoon actually. Meeting with a friend who’s in town for a beer. So maybe we’ll see. Let me know when you get off from the dentist and we’ll see then.”  
  
“Sounds like a plan.”  
  
_***  
  
He wasn’t rude at all. He hadn’t sounded angry one bit. Then again he was always the calmer one in their relationship. He maybe didn’t sound as nice as she was used to, but once they saw, she could melt his ice, she knew it. She finished the e-mail in front of her, signed the necessary papers and left for her dentist’s appointment. She had sent Rhaegar a text that she had to leave for the dentist’s and asked if he could take care of the rest of the stuff for the afternoon but there was no response. “ _He would eventually handle it”_ she thought to herself and kept driving.  
  
Right after the appointment, she noticed that her mom had called. Her mom wouldn’t call during the day, unless there was something important so she called him back.  
  
“ _Ah Dany dear, your great uncle has passed and I had to leave to take care of the formalities since your dad couldn’t. Can you be a darling and head straight home after you’re done with the dentist? You know that he needs somebody in the house all the time so I’d appreciate this little help for today.”  
  
“Sure mom, I’ll head home right away.”  
  
_Now she had to call Jon and cancel. He wasn’t going to be happy. Then she had noticed his text, asking if they were still up for doing something. She quickly typed him a reply about the situation and told him she was heading home. A simple “ _Okay, no worries.”_ was the response. Dany didn’t know what to do at that point. She was helpless.  
  
When she got home, her father was taking a nap on the couch. Doing her best to not to wake him up, she quickly and quietly went upstairs to drop all her stuff at Rhaegar’s so that she wouldn’t need to deal with anything else and focus on her father. When she opened the door, she found Rhaegar on the couch, a bottle of whiskey more than half drained in front of him and a cigarette in his hand. He barely smoked since Aegon was born, so something was wrong.  
  
“ _What’s wrong? Why are you here at this time of the day? I thought you would be at the office. I had left the papers for you since I had the appointment at the dentist. You didn’t sign those? Viserys is now gonna kill me because of that.”  
  
“You know what Dany, you are wrong. You only think about yourself and your problems only. You fucked up at work because you were inconsiderate, careless and reckless. You aren’t aware that my marriage is actually falling apart because you don’t simply care. You never pay attention to anything. When we bring Aegon to town, we always pretend that everything is fine and all but nobody knows and nobody really seems to care. Even mom doesn’t care anymore because dad is half-dead. Since you’re his baby, his eyes only see you and you get away with everything. Even if he found out about your fuck up he’d still adore you and pat you in the back. I’m sick of you just thinking about yourself and not giving a rat’s ass about any of us at all.”  
  
“You used to be the shield that guarded me but I guess we’re done here.”  
  
“Yes we are. Take all your belongings from here and take them downstairs. I don’t want you using this flat anymore.”  
  
_With that, she started packing all her belongings that were there. She took one final look at her brother, who had wounded her so deeply. Once she closed the door, she heard the bottle crashing at the door. Rhaegar had thrown it after her. That explained how he felt about her. Like everyone else, her brother despised her too. When she got downstairs and opened the door, her father was up. He was probably up because of Rhaegar screaming and throwing things around in his apartment. He looked at her with puzzled eyes and Dany did her best to calm him down. They didn’t need another heart attack. Not now, not ever.  
  
Then she finally looked at her phone. Jon had called her twice and there was a text from him.  
  
“ _I thought I would surprise you by quickly dropping by for five minutes and see you before you left for Highgarden but I guess you don’t want to see me. So much I can understand.”  
  
_Dany’s heart shattered into a million pieces.  
  
***  
  
After the third pint, he had decided that he wanted to surprise Dany by just showing up. When he was near her building, he called but there was no answer. So he decided to just sit on the sidewalk across the street and wait for 10-15 more minutes. When he called her to no avail for the second time, he sent her a text and started walking towards the main street. What he thought was a good idea had failed spectacularly. She didn’t want to see him, so much was clear. His heart wouldn’t be able to take it much longer, that he knew. There was physical pain and he couldn’t bear it.  
  
Then she called.  
  
“ _Yes?”  
  
“I didn’t hear your call. We were in a screaming match with my brother at that point. Are you still around?”  
  
“No, I started walking away. I can come back if you want me to.”  
  
“Even if you came back, I cannot come downstairs now. I need to deal with my dad. You know his condition.”  
  
“I know. What was I thinking anyway? This was a stupid thing to do. I’m sorry I overstepped.”  
  
“No you didn’t. You even thinking of doing this is so lovely that it melted my heart. I’m sorry that this had to happen, I really am. Please don’t be upset.”  
  
“I guess it’s too late for that now. I understand and will know my place from now on. Have a safe trip.”  
  
“Jon you’re not listening. What you attempted was special. Will you please listen to me? I don’t want you to feel this way. Please. I’m thankful for even the thought of it and I really am sorry that I fucked up your wonderful plan. I’m sorry. Are we good? Please, I need to know that we are good.”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
_***  
  
He had ended the conversation just like that. When she tried to reach him via whatsapp, the messages were sent, but not delivered. Then she had tried calling, his phone was off. Her heart was shattering more with every passing moment. She was so furious at Rhaegar that she wanted to strangle him. She still had to keep appearances in front of her father and actually pack for her trip to Highgarden. How she was going to deal with Mace Tyrell and his idiotic ideas with this state of mind, she didn’t know.  
  
Her world was falling apart and she really was having difficulties with handling this. Jon, her Jon, the sweetest man in the world had tried the sweetest of surprises even when she had hurt him. She wasn’t sure if he was _her_ Jon anymore. “ _He is probably so heartbroken that he’ll never want to see me again.”_ she thought to herself. Once her mother had come home, she had retreated to her old room, where she had left everything in boxes after getting kicked out of Rhaegar’s flat. She wanted to cry herself to sleep like she had done for the past month but she couldn’t risk being heard either. Her father could have got anxious and she couldn’t hide anything from her mother in that state. She would just collapse and everything would be out in the open.  
_  
_She couldn’t live with herself anymore. She had to do something about it.  
  
***  
  
Oberyn Martell was the definition of diplomacy. Calm, kind, daring and caring at the same time, there wasn’t a problem he couldn’t solve. His friend had been off the grid for two days now and he was starting to worry. Jaime had no idea where Jon was either. They had tried Edd, Pyp and Grenn, who Jon played basketball with but they hadn’t seen him either. They went to his door, but there was no answer. He could always call his parents but it wouldn’t be right at this stage since they were back in Tarth and it would only cause more anxiety than necessary with them.  
  
Jon wasn’t the type to give into anything. Even after years of emotional abuse from Ygritte, he had come back the next day like as if nothing happened. He wouldn’t cave, would never give up fighting for what was his or what he believed in. This had to be about Dany, because otherwise nothing could wreck him like this. “ _He must be emotionally overreacting because of something small.”_ Oberyn thought to himself. Still, the more he couldn’t hear from his friend, the more anxious he was getting. Finally it hit him. The solution was the spare key and he had it. “ _So much for diplomacy.”_ he muttered and went home to take the key from its hiding place. He didn’t like the idea of barging into Jon’s flat but, that was what needed to be done at this point. His friend could have been in danger, in a coma, gods forbid, in a cold dead state. He rushed back to Jon’s place and opened the door. There was a terrible smell of cigarettes and a cloud of smoke in the living room, where Jon had passed out in front of the couch. There were empty bottles of whiskey on the mid-table, a few beer cans on the floor, a small bottle of Jägermeister near the couch and three empty bottles of Dornish red were rolling near the tv. There were three big ashtrays in front of Jon, all of which were stacked up.  
  
Oberyn checked Jon’s pulse and luckily he was still breathing and alive. It was going to be hell trying to get him to his bed from there. He tried shaking him, slapping him, punching him even to no avail. He was so passed out that he couldn’t respond. He could always drag him to his bed, but that would have been more difficult than he thought. He decided to support him while walking and that seemed to have worked. He put him to bed after making his way slowly to his bedroom, put the blankets on him and went to open the windows of the living room for the smoke to clear. He needed to put the place in order as well, since Jon probably would wake up the next day the earliest. Once the smoke was clear, he definitely was going to have his way with this Daenerys woman for what he had done to his friend. Then a better idea struck him. He didn’t necessarily need to get his hands dirty and alienate his friend. There was someone who would do this gladly and make Jon accept her motives. Plus Jon couldn’t keep secrets from her either. He would spill the beans once he saw her and all Oberyn needed to do then was to observe from the sidelines. He took out his phone and called his sister. It would be up to her to make the necessary phone call.  
  
“ _Call Arya Stark. Jon needs her.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad things happen and once they start happening they happen one after another. It quite often takes a lot of effort to turn things around and this is practically the first part of the catastrophe. I also thought this was the excellent opportunity to finally introduce Arya Stark into the fray. 
> 
> More introductions like these will follow in the next few chapters. I have to warn you guys about one thing though, because with chapter 10, the relationships will take a backseat and make way for the political power plays for a few chapters but I promise we will return to the fluff land, once the smoke is clear. Just bear with me.


	9. The Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get a little bit of Arya's back story, Rhaenys Targaryen appears for the first time, a proper introducion for Val and we look at things from Jaime's perspective for the first time. 
> 
> Oh and the shitstorm continues.

Arya Stark of Winterfell, hated King’s Landing.  
  
Ever since her father’s assassination, fleeing to Braavos, somehow making her way back to the continent first after Jon Arryn came to power in the Vale, only one person had stood by her. Taken her in when he didn’t have to, shared his money with her and helped her get a job when she had no skill set whatsoever. Her dearest friend Jon was in a bad state, she was told. That much was enough for her to make her way to King’s Landing. She would take him straight to Winterfell for an extended weekend, he would find peace in the nature and he would be away from all the troubles of that shit city so he could actually talk about his problems.  
  
Arya knew that Jon wasn’t the type who shared his burdens. He had an insane mind for backstabbing and political power plays but he never liked using that. “ _I would rather confront them face to face for the pieces of shit that they are.”_ he had said to her once. Arya loved her friend’s sense of honor, but she was molded into a different person during the Greyjoy reign. Coming from the biggest family in the North, she was used as a broodmare and was sold to the Freys by Petyr Baelish so that they would become political tools for Euron Greyjoy. When she had no choice to marry Waldron Frey to actually stay in the continent, Jon had helped her to avoid the abuse by constantly appearing at the Twins with either a Martell or a Lannister by his side. Freys weren’t necessarily the biggest family in the continent and they were quite often pressured by the other big families in the business scene. After Walder Frey’s passing, the legal dispute between his so many sons and daughters looked like it would never end. The current mayor of Harrenhall Jon Arryn had then helped Arya to first buy in to their company and later helped her buy everyone else out and with that money she had returned to Winterfell. She knew that Arryn didn’t help her out of his good heart or for the love he held for her father. No, she knew that this was a political power play and Jon Arryn would either later go for president or would be the next one to run, if Davos Seaworth would become more popular in King’s Landing.  
  
Having finalized her divorce and actually starting an animation company in Winterfell, Arya divided her time between her home and her company’s second base, which was in Harrenhall. Things have finally started to fall into place for her and they wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for her friend Jon. Jon had sheltered her, protected her from all the abuse, helped her become who she was and she was now told that he needed her. Elia had said that much on the phone.  
  
When she finally got to his place, she found Oberyn in the living room, sipping his coffee. He warmly greeted her like the perfect gentleman he was and filled her in about what had and might have had happened. “ _So this IS actually about a girl.”_ Arya thought inwardly. She had met Ygritte and despised her. She could and would never be able to tell how Jon endured that emotional abuse from that bitch but he had. He was Jon. He wouldn’t be beaten unless he wanted to. This new girl had to be someone really tough.  
  
***  
  
His head was killing him. The last thing he remembered was drinking straight from the Jägermeister bottle and slipping from the couch but here he was, in his bed, blankets on him and there was a light breeze in the flat. “ _There is no way I left the windows open before coming here to sleep.”_ he thought to himself and tried leaving the bed. He was successful after the third attempt so he slowly made his way to the living room. There was music playing in the background and then he heard a cigarette being lit.  
  
“ _Dany?”  
  
“No you idiot. Guess who’s back in town to take your sorry ass to Winterfell.”  
  
“Arya? What the fuck? How? I mean who let you in, when did you even come here?”  
  
“Okay sit down so I’ll tell you one by one. I figured you’d need some coffee so I made some extra. Wait, I’ll go get you some from the kitchen.”  
  
_Then she had told him what had happened. How he overdrank himself into a state of passiveness, how Oberyn had to actually use the spare key to barge into his flat to find him passed out in front of the couch, how he had slept for maybe a day before she arrived and how she immediately left Winterfell to come here to see him. Jon was surprised, there was still too much alcohol in his blood for his liking but he was glad that his friend was here for him. Arya looked concerned, like really concerned. Almost like the times when she feared for her life in Braavos. There was a brief silence between them and then Arya smiled at him and squeezed his hand.  
  
“ _Pack your shit up. Once your headache is gone and you can actually stomach the train ride, I’m taking you to Winterfell. No no no, no excuses, no arguments, no work related shit, I’ve already checked with Oberyn and Jaime, you’re good to go. Jaime said that you had worked like a possessed man for the past week anyway. I’m told that you don’t need to do ANY extra for the week so that’s the duration I’ll be taking you away. When you’re to return here, you’ll stop by Harrenhall to actually see Val and share your burdens with her for romantic advice. You know that she’s better with those things than I am. That’s already set up too, so again, you cannot argue with this. Meanwhile you are to turn your fucking phone on, call your parents and during your stay in Winterfell, you are not to contact this Daenerys woman, at least until I’m told all the details.”  
  
_***  
  
Her messages were delivered two days after she had sent them. He had come alive but there was still no response. She had checked his twitter but it was dead silent. Then she looked at his instagram and he had recently posted a story. It was in a train, it just read “ _On the way to Winterfell.”_ and some woman named Arya Stark was tagged. It confused her. He was unreachable for two days and then suddenly he was taking a trip to Winterfell. She knew that his mother was northern but this wasn’t a family trip, that was for sure.  
  
And who the fuck was Arya Stark?  
  
She clicked on the profile tag and it was a public profile. There was this tiny woman, who looked quite much like Jon but the only difference was she had pale blue eyes. There weren’t many pictures posted but Dany quickly scrolled through her profile to find that she had pictures with Jon from years ago. They had a picture in Braavos, one in Winterfell and then another one in King’s Landing. She knew that this wasn’t the emotionally abusive girlfriend that Jon had mentioned before. She had to be a longtime friend of his. That’s what she hoped for.  
  
“ _Uhm, Ms. Targaryen? Mr. Tyrell will see you now in the conference room. If you can follow me please?”  
  
_Dany obliged to the secretary’s words but couldn’t help thinking who the fuck would handle the final meeting on a Sunday afternoon. Mace Tyrell was the head of the company only in name, that she knew. Olenna Tyrell was the one pulling the strings and she had used that whore called Doreah to gain the advantage. Dany hated these people with her heart since she had to deal with everything they threw at her. “ _Only an hour or two with that pompous oaf.”_ she soothed herself and made her way into the conference room.  
  
She was out of that shithole called Highgarden with a done deal in her hands and earlier than she had expected. She immediately called her mother to tell her that she was coming home and sent texts to both Viserys and Rhaegar about the deal being closed. Viserys barely bothered checking his phone since now he was vacationing in Pentos but Rhaegar had just replied with thumbs up. Then she had an idea. She hadn’t seen her elder sister for a while. Maybe this could be a good opportunity, as she was to pass by Summerhall anyway.  
  
“ _Hey Rhaenys. You think you’ll be home this afternoon? I was hoping to drop by.”  
  
_An hour and a half later, she was at her sister’s flat, sitting in the balcony with a nice ocean view, sipping her beer. They didn’t interact as much as they used to, for Rhaenys was 10 years older than Dany and had married and moved away with her kids a long time ago. Her husband was away on a business trip to Volantis and the kids were with her husband’s parents for the week so Rhaenys was pretty much free.  
  
_“So tell me, what brings you here. You would normally call when you were in trouble but knowing you, if you are here for a face to face conversation, you must be drowning in shit.”  
  
_Then Dany told her. Everything. All the embarrassment, all the pain, all the insecurities came back to her one by one as she spoke. She broke down, burst into tears, couldn’t control herself at all and by the end of it, she was a complete train wreck. Rhaenys had listened to her without interrupting until the end. Then she said the things that Dany feared the most.  
  
“ _This isn’t about Viserys or Rhaegar. This is about this Jon guy you had mentioned for like uhm, thirty times? You’re in love with him and you are unaware.”  
  
_The silence was deafening. Was she really in love with him? Was this really the case and she was really that ignorant towards her feelings?  
  
“ _You ARE in love with him. All you had said, all that breakdown is because you couldn’t go to him with this. If you were able to share this burden with him, it wouldn’t have come to this. The funniest part is that you spent ranting fifteen minutes on a woman whom you’ve never met before. You are so drowned in your own shit that you cannot see how funny you’ve become. Heh. My baby sister in love. Who would have imagined?”  
  
_This sounded unreal. Surely she wasn’t in love. Sure, she cared for him, thought about him all the time and tried to protect him from everything that was to come just because he was with her but was it all because she loved him? Her sister had told her that she would need to do the one thing she hated so much. She would need to confront her feelings and she would need to make things right with Jon, if she felt so strongly about him.  
  
_“But how in the world I get to do that when he’s a thousand miles away and hasn’t answered to me at all?”  
  
“Uhm, maybe because you broke his heart? Like repeatedly? And actually when he tried to surprise you, you couldn’t even go down the fucking stairs to look him in the eye? He’s aware that you’re hiding a lot from him and that’s what’s making him uncomfortable. He’s aware that you aren’t able to look at him in the eye because he knows you well enough to figure out what is wrong. That’s the main source of your fear and that is why you pushed him away in the first place. You’re afraid that he will judge you but has he ever? This is where you’re wrong. You should have told him about this the minute it had happened. From what you told me he’s a fucking smart guy and knows quite many people around who could have helped you already. Not only you isolated yourself and are drowning in your own shit, you missed the chance to put out the fire before it actually started spreading.”  
  
_Her sister’s words were all she could think about on the way home.  
  
***  
  
By the end of the third day, Jon finally started looking like himself. Arya had taken him out to dinner for the first two evenings but decided that they would barbeque in her yard on the third, since it was visible that Jon was ready to talk.  
  
So Jon talked. He talked for a good hour and Arya didn’t even once stop him. She knew that he could shut down at any moment if he was interrupted so she chose not to. He talked, ranted every now and then, smoked and drank passionately during the whole time and finally stopped. The silence was comfortable, Arya could tell. Her friend looked a lot more relieved than the time she first found him in a complete state of mess. She, at times, couldn’t help but laugh about how strongly Jon would go on about things, how passionate he became during his rants and was glad that her friend was finally coming alive.  
  
“ _If you’re done ranting, I’ll say a few words now.”_ she said and he nodded for her to continue.  
  
“ _I hope you are aware that you’re in love with this woman. She sounds like just what you needed after that bitch Ygritte. She’s caring enough, thoughtful and she definitely has a good heart. She’s just caught in a clusterfuck shitstorm that she cannot get away from. Sure, her attitude towards the issue is wrong, you are a good problem solver and you go for the result but she’s very detail orientated, that I can tell. You are an artist so you should know. Yeah yeah, I know, you never rest until you see the end of the piece but hear me out here. People are different than each other and you’ve been told maybe fifty times in your life that you cannot expect the people to think and act as fast as you do. Sure I keep up with you but that’s me and these are other people. It’s completely normal that she’s freaked out and isolated herself if something went terribly wrong but then again her behavior about approaching the matter is wrong. Yes, she’ll need to confront the issues in front of her but you cannot help her if she doesn’t want your help. She’ll probably need to seek for comfort from someone else, someone completely away from all this and will not get hurt in the process. Once that is done, she probably will be ready to face you but I don’t expect that she’d spill out her secrets right away. For that you’ll need to wait. Meanwhile be nice, don’t be an asshole and make sure that you go and see Val tomorrow evening, because I’m kicking you out tomorrow morning. Your work here is done, so now we’ll enjoy a glass of good scotch and you’ll hit the bed.”  
  
_***  
  
Jon absolutely loved how straightforward Arya was. This was what he needed. Maybe not necessarily what he needed to hear but the attitude was there. Arya knew that Jon cared too much for Dany and hadn’t said a single bad word about her. She would otherwise get overprotective, would curse people out if necessary and would tell him straight away to get rid of that bitch. She hadn’t done any of those things so that meant she understood him.  
  
The train ride to Harrenhall was uneventful. Val was waiting for him at the station. They hadn’t seen since his birthday and clearly she had lots to tell him as well. Their friendship dynamic was quite different than Jon’s other friendships. He would be the voice of reason for her, going straight for the logical path that made sense, while Val’s emotional intelligence was way more advanced compared to Jon’s. She was as passionate as he was when it came to chasing the thing one needed so they understood each other clearly.  
  
Jon let Val go first and she ranted for a good hour about how Tormund had again become cold, irresponsible and uncaring, how he had hurt her feelings when he reached this dark spot of his. She was broken inside but was managing to hide it very well. Jon listened to her, offered advice and tried to be the voice of reason for his friend. Val was constantly nodding in approval while Jon spoke about how simple things had to be. He was glad that this was working out for her.  
  
Then it was his turn to go at it. He was getting bored about this to be honest. This was the second time he had to tell all the stuff in two days. He wasn’t the type that would talk about feelings and insecurities this often but he had no choice at this point. He made sure that he didn’t miss any details so that Val wouldn’t have trouble connecting the dots. Once he was done, there was a short silence. Val then squeezed his hand and started talking.  
  
“ _Jon, I’ve known you for years and this is the first time I’ve seen you this passionate with someone. I can see that you think that this woman is right for you. You feel it more than you think actually. I can never be the one to tell you that you should stay away from such a person. In fact, no matter how much trouble she might bring to your life, you should chase this till the end because you clearly believe in this. Follow your passion my friend, for you have told me the same thing years ago with Tormund. Yes we have our ups and downs but at the end of the day I love that man and I know he loves me back. You guys have something similar, so fight for it. Promise me you will.”  
  
“I will.”  
  
_***  
  
The week was going to end on Friday luckily. For once in a long while, Dany wouldn’t have to go to work on Saturday. She just needed to get through tomorrow and she could sleep for the whole weekend if she had to. After watching some debate on tv, she went to her room and closed her door. There was still no word from Jon and he hadn’t posted anything online after that one story that he shared. The messages she had sent were read but unanswered. “ _He probably doesn’t want to see me again after all that’s happened.”_ she thought to herself. She didn’t want to accept it but, that looked like the reality of it. Just when she decided to put the phone away and turn off the lights, the phone buzzed.  
  
“ _Sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner. I was taken to Winterfell by force and wasn’t allowed to touch my phone. Just came back to King’s Landing an hour ago. Feels good to be home.”  
  
“That’s fine I guess? I mean I was awfully worried that I couldn’t hear from you for two days and then all I got was that one instagram story. I’m glad you’re okay but I was sick worried. Since you didn’t respond, I didn’t want to overstep and call you either but I’m so glad that you contacted me now.”  
  
“I’ve missed you.”  
  
“So have I.”  
  
“Look, I know you probably don’t have the time for reasons you cannot tell me and that’s fine. Still, we need to actually see each other and talk to figure things out. This cannot go on forever.”  
  
“I agree but I absolutely have no time.”  
  
“What about tomorrow? In the morning? During the day? Early evening? Late night? Anything, you name it and I’ll be wherever you need.”  
  
“I need to leave the house by 8 in the morning tomorrow. It’s a day full of going from client to client. Then the whole afternoon is packed with useless meetings. I’m sorry.”  
  
“That’s fine. We’ll figure out something.”  
  
_***  
  
If there was no time, he would make time. Jon knew he could create anything necessary. There was already a failed surprise attempt but he would make sure the second time wouldn’t fail. He knew what he would do. He’d grab some coffee and be by her place with the coffee by 7.55. Five minutes would be enough for him. He would even settle for five minutes. This had to be done.  
  
He woke up at 6.30 the next morning. He trimmed his beard, took a shower, dressed casually, had his morning coffee and then went to get coffee for Dany. He grabbed two take aways, took all the necessary items and took a cab to her place so the coffee would stay warm. By 7.55, he was at her door. He decided that he would call her, hoping that she hadn’t already left. When she answered the phone, he was sure that she hadn’t left, because she sounded like she was still asleep.  
  
“ _Wake up. It’s five to eight.”  
  
“Then I can sleep for five more minutes.”  
  
“I brought you coffee. I’m actually downstairs.”  
  
“You did what? Oh my god, you really are amazing. Hold on, I’m coming downstairs.”  
  
_***  
  
He actually was there. In his shorts and a simple t-shirt, holding a paper bag in his hands, he had come through for her yet again, after being treated like shit by her. Her heart melted at the sight and she ran straight to his arms. He carefully placed the coffee cups by the gate and lifted her into his arms. There was no kissing, no nuzzling her face, but this was to be expected. Then he slowly put her down and gave her the cup of coffee. He had a bitter smile on his face. He sat down on the stairs near the door and she did the same. He looked unsure but then he started talking.  
  
“ _Look, I figured that we don’t need to talk about everything at once. It’s understandable that you want to keep whatever you’re keeping from me and it’s fine. I won’t ask about it any further. Still however, for us to call this an actual relationship, we need to see each other on a regular basis. At least once a week. If you cannot do this, I must know now, so I can handle this and leave you be. If you can, then you need to show me that you’re trying. After having shared so much, we cannot go back to simply being friends Dany. It’s too late for that. Plus I’m sure about my feelings when it comes to you. I won’t say it now because it isn’t the right time to say it, but I want you to know it. Do you think you can handle being in regular contact with me and seeing me on a regular basis or not? Please tell me this now so we can look ahead. Because more and more it seems like you have time for everyone else but me.”  
  
“I want to and I can.”  
  
_With that, he kissed her and when he noticed that her mother was by the window, he knew that it was time that he took off. He would be late for work anyway if he didn’t. He said that they would be in touch and left. His heart was beating so fast that he knew that it would take some time before he would calm down.  
  
***  
  
Dany had made a promise she couldn’t keep. The first week, Jon had asked twice whether they would meet but she found an excuse to dodge the situation. She however went to her weekly meeting with Missy and Irri. She didn’t know if Jon knew about this because she had actually shared a story on instagram with them, but Jon had barely checked her stories for the past month. He would then ask her again the week after, but she told him that the whole week was packed. She had made plans to go to Harrenhall for a football game weeks in advance and the work schedule had cleared up for her to be able to do this. She desperately needed the time off and get away from King’s Landing.  
  
She had travelled to Harrenhall and met with her friends. She was really having a good time; her phone was in her purse all the time, there were no work calls coming in and after a long while and everything was fine. She had convinced herself to not to think about Jon during the weekend and she would deal with it once she was back in KL on Monday. The schedule would start getting lighter now that the deal with Tyrell was official. She could sneak out of the office an hour or two earlier, maybe spend an evening or two with him so they could finally talk. Little did she know, he had reached his limit and already exploded. She would only find out when she got to her friend’s place and look at her phone.  
  
“ _So I was right when I thought that it seemed like you have time for everyone else but me. You hang around with your friends; you have enough time to take a trip to Harrenhall to actually catch a game. I wish you were honest to me when I asked you that question but clearly you weren’t. A simple no would have been enough but you had to make me crawl right? Take advantage of some guy who is in love with you because that’s the right thing to do. I so sincerely hope that treating me like shit is making you feel better because if it didn’t, then it would have been for nothing and that would be really sad.”  
  
_She dropped her phone. There was no proper answer for this onslaught. Even if she came up with an answer, it was obvious that Jon was enraged and he couldn’t be stopped in a fight. It was no use. Not answering would make her seem like an asshole but seemed like he thought of her as one already. She couldn’t change anything from this point onward and everything had gone to hell anyway.  
  
***  
  
Jaime was glad that Jon was back to work at full capacity but he could tell that he was still bothered by how things were in his personal life. He avoided asking him about personal details but knew that Jon would tell him what he needed to know, when the time was right.  
  
On Monday he didn’t show up for work. He didn’t necessarily have to, the submissions were taken care of anyway, but they had taken up new children’s plays so he needed Jon for those right away. He sent him a text, telling him that he would need to be at the office tomorrow. His response was short but clear.  
  
“ _I’ll be there. Send me the scripts beforehand so I can bring sketches tomorrow.”  
  
_His work ethic was unbelievable. Especially when he was pissed off, he would go super creative and couldn’t be stopped. Jaime secretly loved how Jon would become workwise when he was triggered. He was rarely depressed but very often raging in the studio when he was upset. He could turn any situation to his advantage and that was what made him a good partner.  
  
The next day, Jon was already in the office when he went there. It was 9 a.m so it was even early for Jon. There were piles of folders on his work desk and when he entered the studio, he turned to him, pointed at the folders and said “ _Done_.” Jaime was shocked. There were six children’s plays that needed to be done by the end of the month and Jon had finished them all in one day, a month earlier than necessary.  
  
He casually stood up from his seat and pointed at the big schedule they had on the wall.  
  
“ _So by mid-September we need to be prepared with all the new premieres, right? I’m taking over all of the music from today onwards. Also, that one-man show that you wanted about this poet that Tarly will come and act for? I’ll handle that as well. Just talked with him on the phone before you came. It’s gonna require around 45 minutes of original music and it needs to be ready by next week. Nothing I can’t handle though, no worries. From now on I’m devoted to this place 24/7 and we are gonna make ourselves some big fucking money.”  
  
“What happened to you, seriously? You became a crazed materialist overnight?”  
  
“No. I think me and Dany are through for good. I’m not expecting her to contact me ever after what has happened. I think it’s my fault anyway. I should’ve understood quicker that she didn’t want to do anything with me but I tried anyway.”  
  
“You tried because you love her…”  
  
“No, don’t. Don’t say that. I tried because I was an idiot and couldn’t see what was in front of me. She probably never loved me or wanted me in the first place. She just used me for a time, then got bored and probably moved on to some different guy already. It’s fine and I can live with it. In any case I’m not going to take this out on anyone, but I’ll take it out on work. We’re going to make this business better, shape and mold it into what we’ve dreamed of since the beginning. That I promise you here and today. By the New Year, everything will be different. Everything.”  
  
_With that, Jon left the studio. Jaime was both sad and amazed. Sad for how his friend felt about his own life but amazed at how he reacted. He would be even more amazed when Jon would actually start pulling 14-15 hours’ workday after workday, create amazing pieces of music, never look tired at all and would start healing himself during the process.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point I'd like to take a moment to appreciate everyone who have been following the story from the beginning, who have given kudos and who have commented under almost every chapter. Thank you so much for supporting the story. I'm aware that this story necessarly isn't a big hit, but it feels great to be appreciated, so thank you so much once again.
> 
> As for Jon and Dany's condition at this point; The events leading to this have been pretty real. Sure, there are some of the stuff fictionalized but it does take a great deal out of me to actually write down things that have happened only quite recently. Now things might look like they've gone to hell to never return again, it will eventually heal with time, that I can promise.
> 
> Because of tougher work hours which started today, I might lose pace with posting chapters a little. Still, chapters 10 and 11 are written already but will need to be re-read and checked thoroughly before being posted. If you find any mistakes, please point them out. 
> 
> Thank you so much once again for reading and commenting!


	10. Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for politics and business to take over. Jon takes the first big step towards his big break and Arthur Dayne has surgery.

Elia Martell was a good ballerina. After having spent years with the state opera and ballet, she had quit, started teaching and later modeling, thanks to her husband’s connections. Jaime and his love meant so much to her. Every September it would get crazy at work for him because it was the season’s opening. By the third week, they were ready for the premieres, all the meetings had been set and done and majority of the plays were sold out for October. Jaime had booked her an acting gig for a social media ad through the agency and Jon was to provide the jingle. She didn’t have the chance to visit the office as often as she liked but between teaching, modeling and the other gigs, she barely got the chance to do so.  
  
So this one night, Jaime had come home looking extremely tired. She was concerned about her husband but then again, this was how September was. Then finally Jaime started spilling the beans and all the pieces fell into place for Elia.  
  
“ _So this is why I had to call Arya and he left for Winterfell. Oh my god. All that suffering and he’s still not missing a beat? Oberyn is right about this, he really is a machine. It’s impossible for a human being to continue with such pace. Just impossible.”  
  
_ Jaime had smiled at her comments and nodded. “ _Within two weeks, he completed the work of at least six months and made us money that’s worth almost three months. He is on an amazing run and that’s why I’m not touching him. You should see him at the office. He’s barking orders around, has all the kids lined up, they fear and love him at the same time and he’s finally become the boss I envisioned him to be. So when he comes over during the weekend, don’t ask him about Dany, don’t mention anything. Just make sure that he’s only focused on work. He’s healing himself and he’s making all of us better.”  
  
_ All Elia could do was to nod. Jon had always been the shadow, watching over her. Especially when Oberyn was away for duty, he would always be there for her and her family, whenever they needed. She hoped that all would be well for him personally too. That was all she could wish for at that point.  
  
***  
  
Missandei couldn’t really grasp what had happened. Jon’s outburst had shocked Dany and what she was going through was unimaginable. She was constantly blaming herself for what had happened and Missy couldn’t help her friend change course. She had tried to talk with her, tried to reason with her, tried to convince her to no avail. She knew that she couldn’t reach Jon in any possible way. It would be foolish to try at all, plus he wouldn’t in any way respond to a message sent by her.  
  
That day, she left her work early to get home first and later she would visit Dany in the evening. After their big fight, Rhaegar had later allowed her to stay at his place every now and then so they could have some alone time and maybe talk a bit. Then something she didn’t expect happen. Jon got into the same bus and made his way towards her. She wasn’t sure if he knew who she was but then again, Dany had said that his memory was almost eidetic and he would remember someone that he had seen or met before without any problems. Not wanting to be recognized, Missy quietly moved away from where Jon was standing and started typing to Dany.  
  
“ _He’s in the same bus as I am.”  
  
“Who is in the same bus with you?”  
  
“Jon. He hopped in from the central area, I guess he’s going back home from work.”  
  
“How does he look, is he okay?”  
  
“He’s staring at his phone and smiling. I guess he looks fine. A bit tired perhaps.”  
  
“I read some of his tweets. His schedule is now insane apparently. He’s drowning himself with work to cope I suppose. Can you snap a picture of his from where you’re standing?”  
  
“I’ll try my best.”  
  
_Missy changed her angle and snapped a picture and then sent it to Dany. The response came very quickly.  
  
“ _He looks really tired and he has lost some weight. Gods, why did it have to be this way, why can’t I look him in the eye and pour my heart out to him?”  
  
“Only you know the answer to that. Do you want me to go and talk to him?”  
  
“No please don’t. It will only be more embarrassing for me. He’ll think of me as a weak person, who is sending her friend to make contact instead of growing a pair and actually making contact herself. You’re still coming over in the evening right?”  
  
_“ _Of course. I’ll be right over once I’m done at home.”  
  
“See you in the evening then. Take care.”  
  
_With that, Missy put her phone back into her purse and watched Jon carefully. Unfortunately for her, he had noticed that she was staring and it was too late to look away. He smiled and waved at her and then hopped out of the bus on the next stop.  
  
***  
  
Missy coming over was a delight. Dany had bought some beer, got maybe too many bags of chips and was ready for a girl to girl evening with her best friend. However when she found out how Jon reacted after noticing Missy staring at him in the bus, she was puzzled.  
  
“ _So he just smiled and waved at you but didn’t say a thing?”  
  
“No. I was as puzzled as you are now.”  
  
“Maybe he’s trying to look strong. He isn’t the type that exhibits weakness in public. He probably didn’t want to look worn out to you, though it’s visible that he was tired.”  
  
“So you actually miss him?”  
  
“I do, but I doubt it matters to him anymore.”  
  
_“ _Of course it does, are you insane? I’m pretty sure despite being angry and upset, he still loves you.”  
  
“But I don’t have the courage to face him. I am so ashamed of what I’ve done that I can’t live with it. It’s probably for the best that I let him be so he heals himself. I’m beyond saving now.”  
  
“Don’t say things like that. You know that we’re here for you and trust me, if you were to share things with him, he’d still help you because he loves you.”  
  
_They had left it at that and Dany didn’t want to talk about Jon further. Missy, being the darling she is, had moved away from that topic and kept her busy with girl stuff and so on. After watching a movie, they had peacefully fallen asleep and it was probably the first night in a long while, when Dany was able to actually fall asleep without any problems.  
  
***  
  
“ _COME ON TARLY. THE PREMIERE IS IN TWO DAYS. TWO FUCKING DAYS. SURELY YOU REMEMBER YOUR LINES RIGHT?”  
  
_ Jon was really tired with all this rehearsing. Still, Samwell Tarly was a joy to work with. A good actor, who could shift from character to character in mere seconds. Jon knew that Jaime appreciated his work too, so he was doing his best to get along with him. Plus his father, Randyll Tarly was donating quite the amount to their theater, not just to finance his son’s one man show, but also helping himself with some tax money while doing so.  
  
Jon didn’t care about who paid them anymore. As long as they were making enough, he was fine with it. Jaime had also reached that level of understanding so they were cool. Still, they refrained from taking part in things which were pro-Greyjoy. When asked about why they refused, they simply responded by saying that they weren’t taking sides in political conflicts. Still deep down he knew that when the presidential elections were approaching, he could see himself campaigning for Davos Seaworth, if he made a run. He certainly hoped that he would.  
  
Wrapping up the final rehearsal, Jon was satisfied. He and Sam had a pint together after the final rehearsal and Jon had come to notice that Sam was quite the bookworm and had a good mind for business. His vision was far too different from his father’s and it surprised Jon. “ _My father despises me, but because of the Westerosi laws, he cannot disinherit me anymore. He would’ve loved to, I can assure of you that but now his PR is looking much better because he’s financing my acting career. He’s splashing some cash for the art scene and suddenly that makes him a much better person.”_ Sam had said. Jon had listened to him with interest and had made mental notes out of this conversation.  
  
The final premiere of the season had gone brilliantly. The crowd had roared for Tarly but once he made this beautiful speech, praising Jon for the quality of the work he’d done in such a short time, they had roared even more. Jon hadn’t felt this satisfaction for quite a long time, since he was applauded for several minutes on stage.   
  
He was to head to Jaime and Elia’s for post-play drinks. A glass of scotch would have done the trick for him, as he was really tired from countless days of composing and rehearsing. He and Jaime were greeted warmly by Elia at the door, who hugged them both and welcomed them in. They talked about random stuff for a while and then Jon thought this was a perfect moment to present the new idea to Jaime.  
  
“ _I’m thinking that we should make Tarly a permanent member.”  
  
_ ***  
  
“ _He has the same mindset with us. He wants to do real art, plus his father has money and he’s splashing it for his personal gain. I want some of that personal gain. There’s nothing wrong with that. Sure, Randyll Tarly is an asshole if you ask me, but he’s no Euron Greyjoy. The moment that the tide turns, he’ll reposition himself and will try to dethrone the Tyrells to become the leading force in the Reach.”  
  
_ Jaime was amazed. They had been partners for six years now and this was the first political move that Jon had ever suggested. Not only this was brilliant, it also gave them the opportunity to expand their work area into commercials, documentaries, and even maybe tv shows and movies. Take Tarly’s cash, use it to fund the new projects, he looks good, they raise the quality and hire more people that can work specifically. Beautiful plan of expanding. Plus, Jon was right about Tarly repositioning himself. The moment Greyjoy fell out of power, Tarly would turn to someone who could push him even further. This was sheer brilliance and an excellent long term game.  
  
Furthermore, the polls were in favor of Davos Seaworth nowadays. With the current economic situation of the country deteriorating constantly, either the state would need to call for parliamentary and presidential elections or there would be riots in the streets soon enough. Jon was so right that it made him insanely happy. He had promised to him only a few weeks ago that by the New Year’s everything would be different and looked like it would actually be. He looked at Jon and his eyes were beaming. The only thing he needed to do was to approve this plan. He nodded and finally the words came out of his mouth with joy.  
  
“ _I’m with you on this. Until the end. Let’s do it.”  
  
_ ***  
  
The Tyrell payment was late. Again.   
  
That was the price of being in bed with Euron Greyjoy. As he grew weaker, the assholes he had been funding were losing more and more power at the same time. That whore Doreah had called Dany and apologized about the payment being late for three days. Dany wasn’t in the position of strength but she would make sure they suffered while she extracted every penny from those pompous shitfaces.  
  
Calling the family lawyer and letting him know about the situation, Dany decided to take a breather and go through the daily news. After checking the politics quickly, something caught her eye on the art page.  
  
 **SAMWELL TARLY’S ACTING MASTERCLASS, SUPPORTED BY JON SNOW’S WONDERFUL TUNES  
  
** He had made it to the most popular paper. The headline intrigued her so she kept reading the rest of the article.  
  
 _Starring Samwell Tarly (28) as the famous poet Ebrose of Old Westeros, BackStage brings this masterclass of acting and music combined to the stage. Supervised by Jaime Lannister (30) and supported by extremely touching music of Jon Snow (31) this brilliance premiered only last Saturday and is sold out for next month already.  
  
_ Praise after praise, compliment after compliment. She knew Jon was good, he was extremely talented but this looked like his big breakthrough was on the horizon. Also on the rumor mill it wrote that Samwell Tarly was now joining their company full time and that would bring in Randyll Tarly’s money. Tarly Sr. had commented on the rumors that he was supportive of his son’s acting career, after having made peace with the fact. “ _Asshole.”_ Dany thought to herself. The entire continent knew that Randyll Tarly was an asshole, although still this was brilliant on Jon and Jaime’s behalf. This gave them the power to expand and eventually dominate the scene. They had played the right card it seemed. Dany couldn’t help but feel a little bit jealous about this new deal they had made, while her company was stuck with the Tyrells for at least six months more.  
  
Her hand went to her phone to call and congratulate Jon. Then she thought it would be awkward. “ _He probably won’t even take my call.”_ she thought. She would have loved to celebrate with him, be there for him in his big moment. “ _I fucked that up, the ship has already sailed.”_ she muttered and forced herself back to work.  
  
***  
  
The month of October passed just the same. Now that Sam was a full timer in the office, work had smoothed itself out. He was a fast learner and he really helped some burdens off their shoulders, not just economically. He was kind, helpful, good with the clients and certainly had enhanced their market. This was the finest move they had ever made in the recent times.  
  
The month of November however, was going to be a mess. Mid-month, his dad was finally going to get his gastrocele fixed. It was going to be a difficult surgery, for he had used anticoagulants before and his mom was nervous. Lyanna Stark wasn’t the woman that broke down ever, but this time she was under heavy stress. Jon could tell his mother feared losing his father to this operation. Having been married for almost 35 years, his parents had a very solid marriage and almost never fought about things. Jon knew he had to stand his ground and carry the burdens for his family now. This was the time.  
  
A long and stressful day of surgery, two trips to the ER, finally having been let inside the ER to see his father and getting briefed by the doctors, Jon almost broke down. Still he kept his mask on, kept his composure and once they were able to take his dad to his own room, he was relieved. The worst had passed now and this was going to get better. He wouldn’t go to work for the next two weeks, he had already arranged that. Oberyn had visited them at the hospital, right after he got off from the ministry. His parents were very fond of his best friend and were delighted to see him. Still, everything was vague to him, it was all a blur under the pressure and once he got home, he just tweeted a simple sentence.  
  
“ _Nobody should have to wait for a loved one in front of the ER.”  
  
_ ***  
  
She couldn’t sleep after she saw that tweet. What was it about, she didn’t know and couldn’t tell. She wanted to jump into her car, drive to wherever he was and comfort him. Hold him dearly, cup his face and stay still with him in that moment. There wasn’t a day that she didn’t check for his tweets or instagram posts. For so many times she had seen something funny and wanted to forward it to him but couldn’t. Numerous times she had wanted to interact with him, only to shy away because of fear. Fear of rejection, fear of pissing him off, fear of being disappointed. He had moved on with his life and it was killing her. She couldn’t have argued with this, since she had caused it. She had pushed him away, shut him out and his absence had been terrible. “ _Everything was much easier with him.”_ she thought to herself. She knew sleep would only take her due to exhaustion but she didn’t care anymore.  
  
It was all a blur until the afternoon. Lack of sleep, rush of work and all these stupid calls she had to make had worn her out. She had quickly checked his twitter feed to see if there was any explanation and there was one. His father had had surgery the day before and that was what it was all about. Nothing could stop her now, that she knew. Whether he was nice or not, it didn’t matter. She still feared that he would get upset and tell her to fuck off and know her place but she couldn’t help herself anymore.  
  
“ _Hi. How is your dad? I hope everything is okay.”  
  
_ ***  
  
He had just entered the hospital. His mother was having a cigarette with a friend by the benches near the entrance. He quickly went to them and lit a cigarette himself. He had brought all the necessary things for them to stay in the hospital comfortably enough. His mother had insisted that she would spend the nights there and Jon should just take care of whatever else is necessary outside the hospital and in the flat. He was okay with that and being physically tired meant little to him at that point.  
  
Then he checked his phone. Dany had sent him a text. His inner voice was raging after seeing the message.  
  
“ _Don’t be an asshole. Don’t be an asshole. Don’t be an asshole.”  
  
_ He maintained his composure, kept his mask on and responded ever so calmly.  
  
“ _Thank you for asking, he’s fine. We took him to his room late last night. Just came to visit him at the hospital so will know more in a few minutes.”  
  
_ The response was quick.  
  
“ _I see. I hope he gets well soon enough. If you need anything, please let me know.”  
  
“Of course. You’re one of the first people I’ll call if something is necessary. Thanks.”  
  
_***  
  
Jaime was with Oberyn and Sam, in Randyll Tarly’s personal vehicle. Old Randyll was definitely an asshole but he sure knew how to keep appearances. Surely it would be appreciated that he visited Jon Snow’s father right after his surgery. “ _This will carry him to the spotlight as well.”_ he had said to them. As long as he was paying them handsomely enough, Jaime didn’t care much for the man’s PR or anything.   
  
The car left them in front of the hospital and they made their way to where Arthur Dayne was staying. After a brief visit, Randyll Tarly had invited Jon downstairs to grab a cup of coffee and talk a bit. He wanted them all to know what was coming. They took the take-aways, seated themselves to wherever it was comfortable and then the old man started speaking.  
  
“ _The winds are changing. Greyjoy’s time is limited now, that I can confirm. Soon enough there will be riots on the streets. People are starving more and more, especially the countryside is so fucked up that even in Highgarden, food is scarce. The Tyrells will soon lose all the power they have and I intend to replace them as the new head of the Reach, as soon as Greyjoy is either overthrown or otherwise. He’s likely to lose the popular vote as well so, it doesn’t matter that much anymore.”  
  
_ He and Jon looked at each other. Sam was just minding his own business and Oberyn, ever the diplomat, was pretending that he was hearing these for the first time. Jon’s expression hadn’t changed one bit during Randyll’s speech. He then calmly asked the old man.  
  
“ _What are your plans for us Mr. Tarly? Surely this isn’t just some pep-talk to advise us to reposition ourselves, since we really don’t need to.”  
  
_ Old Randyll had the ugliest smirk possible, but at that moment it glowed like opportunity.   
  
“ _No my boy. You don’t need to reposition yourselves, that much is for sure. However Seaworth and Arryn will need a good campaign and I intend to push you lot to do it. Sooner or later, you will get a call from Seaworth’s office and you will accept their terms. Now I don’t think that you’ll find this politically incorrect or anything. I’m sure all of you actually voted for him anyway. Therefore it should be a joy to handle this for you.”  
  
_ Pointing at Jon, Tarly continued.  
  
“ _He’s going to need you the most. They will go for a dramatic approach with the campaign. Of course they will tell you the details, but Seaworth is determined that they need a catchy, but epic tune, to carry him throughout the campaign. He has already listened to your tunes and liked them. Prepare yourself soon enough, for the time for glory is near.”  
  
_ With that, he left. All they could do was to look at each other in silence. Then a small smile formed on Jon’s face. Jaime knew this smile. He knew it very well. Whenever Jon knew that he was going to win, that smile would form on his face. He liked what he saw. His friend had deserved to rise to the top and now the chance had finally come.  
  
“ _I should go back upstairs”_ said Jon and hugged all of them one by one. When he was out of sight, Oberyn started chuckling. Both Sam and Jaime gave him a questioning look but he looked insanely amused.  
  
 _“He is going to be the main winner of the new era for sure.”_ he said. “ _The money will flow, the opportunities will arise and the most important of all, this Daenerys girl will return soon enough, even if she hasn’t already.”  
  
_ When they still looked at him with puzzled eyes, Oberyn continued.  
  
“ _Randyll Tarly’s and Jon’s interests are intersected. He wants to destroy the Tyrells and Jon will help him do it, for a small favor. The Tyrells last screwed over the Targaryens I heard. Oh yes, Varys from the intelligence service was at the ministry yesterday. I had intended to feed the information to Jon anyway, but now he’ll get it as a part of his job and he will enjoy the destruction even more, because I have discovered the secret that Daenerys has been keeping from him.”_  
  
Jaime knew that his brother-in-law’s long absences from the friend circles usually meant that he was collecting information, but even he didn’t think he could be this dangerous. The pieces were coming together and they were going to win big time. After that day, he was sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was a more Jon oriented chapter, because I really needed to focus on his growth, for it will be quite important with chapters to come.
> 
> Meanwhile, Dany has taken the first step towards recovery. Now this is a very small step, but I'm sure the next chapter's title will explain more on that matter :)
> 
> For those who are interested, this is something I envisioned that Jon had composed for Sam's play. Enjoy!  
> https://soundcloud.com/firat-aktav/light
> 
> Once again, thank you all for reading and commenting! It's always a joy to read those lovely comments!


	11. Baby Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Val comes to King's Landing, Oberyn runs into Dany and a big confrontation happens.

Day three at the hospital, his father’s condition had improved. Finally on Sunday his mother had told him to not to come to the hospital but rather prepare the flat for their arrival, which was likely the day after. So he slept a tad bit more than usual. Just when he was done with the first cup of coffee, his phone started ringing and it was Val. That was a surprise, because Val barely ever called him. She was more of a person who rather texted than called. Hoping that this wasn’t an emergency, Jon took the call.  
  
“ _Oh Jon I’m so sorry I called this early on a Sunday morning but I’m in town and I thought you wouldn’t respond to a text immediately. Wanna meet up for breakfast?”  
  
“Send me the location, I’ll be right over.”  
  
_Val had chosen wisely. That was one of the best brunch places in that part of the town. Annoyingly close to where Dany lived though. The thought made him cringe for he had suppressed his feelings for the past few months now. He didn’t talk about her with anyone, had muted her in every platform so he wouldn’t see what she was up to and show any sort of weakness. He hated that they couldn’t fix things and there had to be secrets between them.   
  
Then she had texted him right after his father’s surgery. Apparently she was reading his tweets. Jon chuckled at the thought while dressing himself. He had forced himself to not to read what she wrote, ignore her pictures, never check anything she posted at all. It had been very difficult in the beginning but he had managed. He wasn’t trying to get her out of his system, but he wanted her to return in some way. Maybe this was their chance after all.   
  
***  
  
He had replied kindly but kept his distance. At least he wasn’t rude to her, so that was something. She had long thought how he would get very upset because she had the nerve to contact him, had thought that he would curse at her and so on.  
  
He hadn’t done any of that. Instead he had said that she would be one of the first that he would call if something was necessary. Had he really meant that? Then again Jon never said anything he didn’t mean, so it was possible that he meant it. Did he really trust her still?  
  
Dany’s mind was raging. Her thoughts had kept her awake long at night and caused her to wake up early again in the morning. Usually she would sleep until the afternoon but since she was up, she could make good use of the day. She slapped on her warm walking gear and decided to go for a walk before breakfast. The nice brunch place near her flat was already getting full and then she saw him. He was there with this friend of his called Val. She had met her only at Jon’s birthday party and later Jon had told her that they were longtime friends and she was dating that brute of a friend of theirs called Tormund.  
  
They looked like they were engaged in a heated but exciting conversation. Dany would kill to know what they were talking about but she couldn’t just barge in. Still, this meant that Jon was doing okay and maybe it was possible for her to contact him. “ _I can totally do that if he’s out having breakfast with a friend.”_ she thought to herself. She wasn’t sure if she was able to look him in the eye still, but she wanted to be in contact and feel his comfort again. She wanted him to be gentle like before, take her in, hold her and never leave her again. She now knew she needed him.  
  
***  
  
Val was super excited. So excited that she couldn’t keep it in her anymore. Once Jon was back at the table from his phone call, she was going to tell him. After 7 years of their on and off relationship, Tormund had finally proposed to her and she was far too happy about this. Then Jon returned to the table and seated himself. His eyes looked like he was tired but there was still that fire in them. They were beaming with interest.  
  
“ _So what is it that you so desperately need to tell me? Oh please, don’t give me that look. I’ve known you enough to figure out when there’s something big going on. Considering that you’re here on your own, this has to be something about Tormund.”  
  
_ He was always good at reading people but he was always better at reading her. Ever the smartass, always figuring out the things before they were revealed. “ _How come he hasn’t figured out what is wrong with his love life?”_ she mused but then she noticed she was losing focus. She gathered herself, cleared her throat and started talking.  
  
“ _After you left Harrenhall, we got into a huge argument. First he was mad that I didn’t invite him to come and meet you as well. He likes you a lot for some reason. Then the conversation got weird. We argued for almost three hours and then didn’t speak for the next five days. Afterwards he just barged into my flat one morning, he looked like he had gone mad for sure and then he proposed to me.”  
  
“He did WHAT?”  
  
“You heard me. He proposed. Like in the way that he asked me to marry him.”  
  
“Yeah yeah I got that part but seriously he asked that. Hold on. What did you say?”  
  
“I said yes. I told you, no matter what happens between me and him, no matter how many ups and downs we have, at the end of the day I love him and he loves me back.”  
  
“Oh Val, congratulations! I’m so happy for you!”  
  
“Thank you Jon! You cannot imagine how happy I am about him taking this big step. I owe it to you a lot.”  
  
“Uhm, why exactly you owe it to me? I didn’t propose to you?”  
  
“No, but you gave me the courage and stability to fight for the man I love. You told me to follow my passion, guided me through it whenever I felt lost. That’s why I came to King’s Landing to talk with you in person. I wanted to do this face to face, explain how I felt about this whole thing and how you carried me on your back when I couldn’t walk. I’m not the only person that you did this for. You’ll see soon enough that all of your friends whom you pulled through the mud will come through for you.”  
  
_There was a brief silence. Val had known Jon for maybe ten years and he was speechless like this maybe once. She squeezed his hand for encouragement so that he could express himself. He clearly wanted to say something but was stuck.  
  
“ _I don’t know what to say. Really. I never expected to gain anything from helping my friends up to this point. I just wanted everyone close to me to be okay and happy, that’s all. I’m really glad my advice worked out for you. My own views of life and relationships don’t really work on a personal level, that I can admit.”  
  
“Jon, what’s wrong?”  
  
“I wouldn’t really want to shit on your happy moment but I couldn’t fix anything. It all went to hell with Dany, she recently contacted me after dad’s surgery but that was that. I guess we’re all about insincere courtesies towards each other. Say happy New Year, send a birthday card and so on. I thought I found the right person but maybe I was wrong. I’m having a hard time admitting this.”  
  
_There were tears in his eyes. Val had never seen Jon cry. Ever. She knew it was time that they moved away from that place. When Jon noticed that, he quickly found their waiter and asked for the check. They were out within five minutes and Val just hugged her friend dearly.  
  
“ _Things will eventually get better, I promise. I don’t think you were wrong Jon. Not about yourself either if you ask me. I think Dany will come through for you, just as everyone else either has or will. Keep your faith in this and don’t let your hope die. You can be materialistic with business and that’s doing you wonders right now but don’t bury or forget your feelings at the same time. You’ll need them soon, I can tell. So please don’t give up just yet, okay? Promise me you won’t give up just yet.”  
  
“I promise.”  
  
_***  
  
Oberyn was totally enjoying this lazy Sunday. A brunch date with Ellaria had definitely pleased him. He’d need to sit down with Jon and discuss how this was going. Plus he had important information to reveal. Since he had learned that Petyr Baelish and the Tyrells were in bed together, he had been digging into Baelish’s past and his dirty deals. It appeared that the Tyrell bride, Doreah used to be a prostitute working for Baelish and was brought from Lys at a very young age. He had planted her in there for a good reason. It all led them to Robert Baratheon and Euron Greyjoy.  
  
The Targaryens had openly campaigned for Davos Seaworth. Both Rhaegar and Daenerys had voluntarily taken part in the organization with the youth department of Seaworth’s party. Robert Baratheon’s grudge for the woman Rhaegar stole from him had eventually led them to this shitstorm. On Baratheon’s orders, Baelish and the Tyrells had looked for ways to sabotage Rhaegar Targaryen, as he was the heir to the company. Taking over companies like that was nothing unusual for the Greyjoy reign. The assassination of Ned Stark was one and many people had suspected that Tywin Lannister’s untimely death was tied to Euron Greyjoy as well. What had been missing from the puzzle was Viserys Targaryen and his involvement in all of these. Varys had promised him to bring critical information, once his little birds brought him the news from Pentos, where Viserys had vacationed.   
  
“ _Push Rhaegar Targaryen away from the company by all means, let Daenerys Targaryen take the fall, all the while Viserys Targaryen is away. Once Aerys Targaryen was dead, his two children who were not fit to rule the company would need to step away and make way for the puppet Viserys.”_ It all made sense when he thought of it like this but now surely and slowly, this plan was going to crash down. Davos Seaworth and Jon Arryn were going to make sure of that and his father Doran would assure the support of Dorne.   
  
In theory, the plan was perfect. His mood was great and he was walking confidently on the street until he bumped into someone.  
  
“ _Were you not looking around at all mister? I mean really, you need to be blind to not to see someone is coming from across the way and is actually trying to make way for you on this small pavement and you still manage to hit them anyway. Gods.”  
  
“I’m sorry miss… Oh, Daenerys. I’m really sorry that I didn’t notice you.”  
  
“Oberyn? Well… this was unexpected for sure.”  
  
“Good to see you, I see that you’re doing fine. That’s excellent to see.”  
  
“Ah cut the diplomat crap will you? I’m sure you despise me for who I am and what has happened with Jon so just save it.”  
  
“Actually I don’t. I’m aware of what has been happening with your company. Still, I’m sure you don’t want to talk about your company affairs with strangers. Have you been in touch with Jon after his father’s surgery?”  
  
“Yes. Only briefly though because he cut the conversation short. Have you seen his father at all, how is he? I’m sure you know more than I do.”  
  
“Of course, I’ve been to the hospital on the evening of the surgery. He’s fine, that I can tell you for sure and is recovering fast enough.”  
  
“So you knew. Of course you knew, you’re one of his closest friends. He didn’t tell me about it but then again when I think of it, I guess it’s normal.”  
  
“You should call him. Today, tomorrow, whenever you feel like it actually. He values these types of situations more than he lets on.”  
  
“Thanks for the tip. I should probably get home now, it’s getting cold. It was nice to see you, take care!”  
  
_***  
  
“ _HE KNOWS!”  
  
_ Dany was in complete panic mode. Oberyn knew for sure. What was it that he had said again?   
  
_“I’m sure you don’t want to talk about your company affairs with strangers.”  
  
_ SHIT.  
  
Did that mean Jon knew it too? He hadn’t said a thing about it even if he knew. Now she had to look him in the eye and try to figure out whether he knew or not. She had to contact him and she had to do it soon. But would he be up for meeting with her? It would be catastrophic if he found out about what had happened from someone else. Then he would never forgive her for keeping it from him. All these thoughts had cornered Dany. She took out her phone and sent a text to Jon. She had to first start with his father and then smoothly change the topic.  
  
“ _Hi. How is your dad doing? I hope he’s doing better now :)”  
  
_ Now all she had to do was wait for an answer.  
  
***  
  
“ _So I want to know your opinion about Ellaria. I like her quite a lot and am having a good time with her. But your opinion is important and I’m really hoping to include her within our circles now so that the rest of the guys can meet her too.”  
  
_ Jon had noticed that Oberyn could go on about this woman forever. It was obvious that he liked her and she liked him back. During those insanely busy times they had, Ellaria had been such a darling. Especially once Oberyn had said to her that he hadn’t seen Jon for more than two weeks, she had tried to arrange an impromptu meeting for them. Jon appreciated such behavior and it was good that Oberyn had someone who was caring and understanding enough.  
  
“ _I think she’s really nice. You definitely should introduce her to the rest of the gang. They’ll like her as much as I do too, I’m sure of it.”  
  
_ He looked relieved. As if he needed Jon’s approval to continue that relationship. That made Jon notice something. Whenever Oberyn would bring something to his approval, something weird would follow. “ _He’s probably going to spill some big political secret or something like that.”_ Jon thought to himself.   
  
“ _So get this. Before coming here, I bumped into Daenerys today.”  
  
“You did what?”  
  
“I literally bumped into her while walking on the street. I wasn’t paying attention and she happened to be coming from across the street so.”  
  
“Oh okay. Did you guys talk?”  
  
“Yeah, some small chit chat and then she headed home. Looked like she was in some sort of hurry.”  
  
“Uhm, alright. If she is doing fine then there’s nothing to worry.”  
  
“I think you would know that better than I do?”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“She told me that you guys have been in contact after your father’s surgery.”  
  
“Well yes, she sent me a text, asking about his condition but that was all. I didn’t ask how she was or stuff like that, so I don’t really know. We haven’t talked afterwards.”  
  
“Oh okay, so get this. Varys has important information about this Tyrell-Targaryen deal. I had him dig deep into it and he found out that they were the ones who screwed the Targaryens. Especially blackmailing this Rhaegar and putting him under constant political pressure. I guess Daenerys has received some of that herself and this might explain her weird behavior towards you?”  
  
“Don’t know about that. She didn’t say what the problem was. All she said was that she fucked up at work and she refused to say anything further about it.”  
  
“Do you want me to find out? Because at this point he can get us whatever information we need. Even the personal ones.”  
  
“No, don’t bother. Unless the information, or confession in this case is coming from Dany herself, it has no value. From what I understand, Tarly has decided to screw the Tyrells right? I just want to make sure that Dany’s company gets paid what they’re owed from that deal. At least for the time being.”  
  
“That we can take care of without any problems. Just let me know when you need any information on this matter. In any case, do you think you’ll be seeing Dany anytime soon?”  
  
“Not really. Not unless she contacts me at least. I’ve done everything I could, I even went to her door and you know how that turned out.”  
  
“Yeah I understand if you don’t want to try anything but try being nice if she does anything. Now I was mad at her before and I may have wanted to strangle her when I found you at that state in your flat, but she seems genuinely nice and is good for you when you’re in the center of her life. I can tell that it’s a lot of effort to rebuild but, you might want to give it a shot. Set a deadline for yourself and work with it but don’t do everything within one day, like you would do with a piece.”  
  
“Wow, that’s actually quite solid relationship advice coming from you. I’ll heed this, but now I should probably get going. Parents are coming home tomorrow so I’ll make their favorite food and clean up the place a little.”  
  
_With that, they parted ways. When Jon checked his phone again, he noticed that Dany had again sent him a text, asking about his father. “ _She’s trying to make amends.”_ he thought to himself. “ _I’ll be nice and let her do whatever she can.”_  
  
***  
  
He again had replied with the same tone. Kind enough but not letting her close enough. Still he had asked how she was doing this time. That was some improvement. They chit-chatted for a while, he had let her know about what was going on and then she suddenly found herself typing the one line she maybe shouldn’t have.  
  
“ _Do you want to meet? Like right now?”  
  
_ And she immediately regretted it. He was now going to think this was too bold, probably was going to shut her down right away. Maybe he was just not going to reply and leave her hanging like she had done to him numerous times.  
  
“ _I can’t leave the flat right now since I’m cooking but you can come over if you wish.”  
  
_ Dany didn’t know how fast she changed her clothes, put on slight make up and took a cab to his place. His greeting of her was warm enough; just a normal hug but still, she would take it. She felt like a little girl with him. She didn’t know where to put her hands, how to sit, how to start talking. All she could do was to watch him cook and stay silent. She wanted to confront him, look him in the eye and pour her heart out. He needed to hear it from her, before anyone else said anything. So she decided to cut to the chase immediately but her voice got a little higher while doing so and it cracked.  
  
“ _I ran into Oberyn today.”  
  
_ Jon burst out laughing. It was the voice crack, she knew. Then he did his imitation of her voice and she found herself suddenly laughing too. The ice was broken between them. She rose from the chair and closed the distance between them. He looked at her with warm eyes but didn’t make a move.  
  
“ _You know, if I just put my hand on you it will all break loose. You’re here to tell me something so we’ll first start with that. Then I’ll happily oblige with what’s in your mind. Deal?”  
  
“Thank the gods.” _she thought. He wasn’t going to put a barrier between them but he was taking baby steps.  
  
“ _Deal.”_ she said softly. It was on.  
  
“ _So you ran into Oberyn. I heard that he rather ran into you quite literally.”  
  
“Well, if I need to be specific, yes that’s how it was actually.”  
  
“He told me about it. Said you were in a hurry although I figured that he probably said something that made you uncomfortable so let’s get to that.”  
  
“No. I mean yes, something he said felt a bit wrong. I mean it was something related to my work almost. It bothered me a little so I made up an excuse and left as quickly as possible.”  
  
“That’s fine by me. He was coming to meet me for coffee actually since I was around your place. I had brunch with Val, you remember her right, from my birthday?”  
  
“Yes I remember, but I also remember that you said she mainly lived in Harrenhall?”  
  
“That’s correct. She was in town to break some big news to the longest supporter of her relationship. Tormund has proposed to her.”  
  
_“ _Oh…”_ Dany was caught unaware. “ _Is that a surprise?”  
  
“Considering how Tormund lives, actually yes.”  
  
“Good for them. Give her my regards and tell that I said congratulations.”  
  
“I will. But coming back to your point… I think you need help with expressing yourself at this point so let’s put it this way. You probably thought that Oberyn knows what you are keeping from me and you’re probably right. He offered to find out what it is for me but I declined because it doesn’t make any difference to me if it comes from him. However it does make a difference to me if it comes from you. Still, if you don’t want to talk about it, I’m cool with it.”  
  
“You are? I had been stressing about telling you since forever. But say if I don’t want to talk about it, does this mean you still trust me?”  
  
“I cannot say a hundred percent. So best tell me anyway if you’re prepared to do so.”  
  
“I don’t know where and how to start but here goes…”  
  
_And then she poured her heart out to him. All her insecurities, all her faults, all the things in her head, all the questions, all the doubts… Everything. He listened with interest in his eyes, his expression barely changed throughout. By the end of it she found herself crying in front of him. His expression was still the same.  
  
“ _You know Dany… You were right, I wouldn’t have been able to help you back then, but I’ll be able to help you now. And I will. That I can promise you on a professional level. Just don’t ask me how at this point_ _but you’ll see soon enough. You don’t have to worry about any of this with me on a personal level either because you fucking up something never meant anything bad to me. I had told you numerous times that I wasn’t going to judge you for who you are or what you are. I liked you because you are you and I still do. But there are more important things that we need to solve about us.”  
  
“Please go on, I don’t want to interrupt.”  
  
_***  
  
That wasn’t a fuck up. That was a momentary lapse at most. She wasn’t aware that she was being set up. He would tell her once it was all over but now his insecurities had to take the center stage so they could actually solve this.  
  
“ _The thing you kept from me is surely a big deal for you, however as I said, it hasn’t changed who you are to me. The problem is that you kept something from me. Do you know what that made me feel? That you don’t trust me. You didn’t trust me enough with whatever the fuck had happened and that made me feel terrible. And then you started avoiding me. You put this big barrier between us and treated me like shit. Now I cannot stress this enough, because your absence was like torture. I never want to experience anything like that again. Is there even a logical, solid explanation of your behavior? I’d like to know if there is one.”  
  
“There is none. But I want you to know that I trusted y---”  
  
“No, don’t interrupt and start with that now. You didn’t trust me, that much is clear. You didn’t trust the way I’d react. You thought me as an inconsiderate jerk, who would judge you for a momentary lapse. See this is one of the main problems. I’m having difficulties with getting over this still. It’s a horrible way of treating a loved one. Especially someone who was madly in love with you.”  
  
“You were madly in love with me?”  
  
“Uhm, wasn’t that obvious?”  
  
_And she was crying again. Smacking her knees during the process, her face was completely red now. She looked like she was trying to say something but nothing was coming out because she was crying so hard. Jon had no other choice but to pick her up from where she was sitting and carried her to the bathroom. Washed her face, soothed her a little by holding her. Once the crying ended, he guided her to the living room and offered her a cigarette and then lit one himself.  
  
 _“So, back to the point, your behavior triggered something really deep in me. It made me feel like a horrible person. That I wasn’t good enough for you, that you were done with me because of that barrier between us. At some point I thought you never loved me or wanted me. Then I stopped caring about that too. I was so broken into pieces that I said to Jaime that I thought you probably never loved me or wanted me in the first place. I thought that you used me for a time, than got bored and probably moved on to some new guy already and all this work shit was some excuse or getaway. I thought about these for months. Then I locked myself into the studio and worked like a possessed man. I transformed into a pragmatic, materialistic asshole who cares about nothing but power. There are more whites in my hair if you have noticed. I had to cancel holiday reservations, little getaway plans that I made for us. I had so much in my mind that you cannot fathom how much it hurt to put all of these away and stare at blank pages maybe twenty times a day. The worst thing is you were still ready to postpone it today and you came here out of fear of me lashing out. Well, how did that turn out for you? All that failure of communication brought you back to me.”  
  
_ Tears were forming in her eyes again. Jon had balled his fists at that point and was losing control. His voice was now higher and louder and the suppressed rage of months was now kicking in.   
  
“ _NO. You don’t get to cry now. Not until I’m done. I got tortured by your absence for months and now you cannot just come in and sweep everything under the rug. Yes you have been taking it for almost an hour now but I’m not done yet. How could you even do this to me? Sure you were cold when we met but I thought you loved me. At least I hoped the feeling was mutual. Do you know how terrible it felt that facing those facts? Gods, I was such a fool to not to notice that I wasn’t wanted and I crawled for weeks.  
  
“PLEASE STOP. ENOUGH. PLEASE.”  
  
_And then there was silence. Tears were rolling down from her eyes.  
  
“ _I love you.”_ she mumbled.  
  
“ _What did you say?”  
  
“I love you.” _this time she said louder.   
  
Time had stopped.  
  
***  
  
Arya Stark never took work calls after 9 p.m. Anyone who was brave enough to call her at that time would face the consequences. She grunted while walking towards her phone but her expression changed once she saw who was calling.   
  
“ _Mr. Arryn, what can I do for you?”  
  
“Good evening Arya dear. I’ll quickly get to the chase, considering that it’s a Sunday evening and you were probably drinking your wine and not giving a shit about the rest of the world.”  
  
“Please do that.”  
  
“The Baelish-Tyrell-Greyjoy triangle is now uncovered. Varys has done wonders with it. Meanwhile we also now have evidence about how Robert Baratheon has tried to bury the Targaryens to the ground.”  
  
“Targaryen? As if in Daenerys Targaryen?”  
  
“Her too. The main person they were trying to put away was her brother and the heir, Rhaegar but Daenerys was made to take the fall. Their uncle Viserys is a co-conspirator as well. Anyway, the rest of this is too delicate information, even for this secure line. I will be heading to King’s Landing tomorrow, for there will be a big meeting and I want you to attend as the representative of the North. I’m sure you can make the necessary arrangements, right?”  
  
“Of course Mr. Arryn. I shall see you tomorrow.”  
  
“Excellent. My people will take you from Winterfell at 8 sharp. We shall meet at White Harbor Airport and then take the flight to King’s Landing. My people will brief you on the way, so you won’t be lost when they present us the facts on the plane. Good night Ms. Stark.”  
  
_With that, the conversation had ended.   
  
Arya Stark was furious. Her blood was boiling and she wanted to physically hurt something at that point.  
  
“ _I’m coming for you, you son of a bitch. This will be the end of you Baelish. This will be the end of you…”  
  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As someone who feels that cliffhangers are rather evil to the reader, I'd like to apologize for it. Then again, it's quite satisfying for the writer, especially when one knows what is following afterwards. *evil grin*
> 
> This chapter has set the tone for a few more chapters to come. Now the relationships and political conflicts are coming together, we'll have a bit of each in every chapter. The next chapter is fully written and hopefully it will answer some, if not all, questions about Dany's behavior in the past. 
> 
> Thank you all so much once again for reading and commenting!


	12. Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dany opens up, the Targaryens finally meet Varys and the political plots move forward.

_“Say that again, will you?”  
  
“Don’t push it.”  
  
“Oh no, I have every right to push it. Say it again, I want to hear it.”  
  
“I love you. There. I said it again.”  
  
“It almost sounds as good as my music.”  
  
“Jerk.”  
  
_Dany smacked him after that. She had just said one sincere sentence and everything had changed. At least it looked and felt like that for that time.   
  
“ _Jon…”  
  
“I know, this is not the end of it, we still need to talk but I had made you a promise before.”  
  
“Like what?”  
  
“Like when I said that I would be happy to oblige with what’s in your mind, once you told me the thing you came here to say and well, you ended up saying more so I’m happy to oblige even more.”  
  
_There was a brief silence. Then he removed his shirt.  
  
“ _Unless of course you don’t feel like it, I can put the shirt back on.”  
  
“Please don’t.”  
  
_Dany threw herself into his arms. Months of frustration, insecurity, doubt and horror. All gone once he held her. “ _I should have done this sooner”_ she mumbled to his ear. He smiled and responded.  
  
“ _Aye. You should have.”  
  
_ Then they devoured each other. Rushed it like they both were trying to make up for the time lost in between. Almost after an hour of fighting for dominance, Dany’s head was resting on Jon’s chest and she finally felt like she was back where she belonged. The feeling gave her peace. She lifted her head to look him in the eye and he looked rather calm like he always did.  
  
“ _Ready to take it from where we left off?”_ she asked him. She had to initiate it now so that he wouldn’t take her as a coward, an opportunist who would pretend everything was good right after sex.  
  
He huffed, sighed and then cupped her face. “ _I just want to know one thing and you really need to have a good, honest explanation about this. If I know it, then I can handle it and control it even. Keep it under control. Yes I know, you said that there is no logical explanation for your behavior but surely there is. There is a reason you shut down and shut me out in the process. So do tell now. I’m listening.”  
  
_ The silence was brief. Knowing that this was now or never, Dany first pecked him on the cheek and then started talking.  
  
***  
  
 _“Remember the time I told you that when I stopped the medication it had started to become difficult to handle some things? Well, when Viserys lashed out at me like that and especially because he was right, I didn’t know what to do. I was back on the pills without noticing. I crumbled under the pressure with each passing day. I was constantly zoning out, having difficulties with concentrating on things and the fear of making another mistake had taken over me. I’m not sure if you can fathom this because you clearly haven’t suffered from a mental state like this. I’m not talking about relationship abuse here. This is something different. I get so lost in that state of mind that I cannot see anything else. My friends have lashed out at me for this, okay maybe not poor Missy but Irri certainly has stopped talking to me after I stopped calling them. I was screwed over by a longtime friend, whom I considered to be close enough and then finally when it came to you, I lost the sense of empathy. You know I told you that sometimes I zoned out and lost the sense of empathy because of having stopped the medication. Well, restarting it didn’t help either. I know, I shouldn’t have started that without consulting with the doctor but I was under so much stress and fear that I thought I was going to break down completely. I wanted to call you so many times. Wanted to text you, ask you how you are doing, but then the fear kicked in. I feared that you would reject me, push me away, and call me names like other people did before. I know in my heart that, this isn’t you; I know it but my mind kept telling me otherwise and I couldn’t cope with it. I thought not seeing you or hearing from you would ease things up but it only made it worse. You were right when you were lashing out moments ago. I couldn’t live with my own failures and they brought me back to you. Nothing has been going right in my life for months now. At least I thought I had you, but then I pushed you away too. I’m sorry about this really. I can understand that if you cannot find the strength in your heart to forgive me but this is who and how I am. This happens to me sometimes and apparently will continue to happen if I don’t seek treatment. I’m having difficulties with accepting that too. I fear it will push everyone that I love away from me; cost me my career and I’ll be referred to as a joke, a mad little girl who couldn’t handle the stress of business life. See, this is how it is. I start fearing one thing and then it builds up on it. I started talking about something completely unrelated because I can’t help it. Again, I’ll understand if you want to stop seeing me after this.”  
  
_ Jon knew that he needed some silence and maybe a minute to digest all that. Sure, none of these were actual excuses for getting treated like shit, but he had to empathize even for the slightest moment. Then what Val said started ringing in his head.  
  
“ _I can never be the one to tell you that you should stay away from such a person. In fact, no matter how much trouble she might bring to your life, you should chase this till the end because you clearly believe in this. Follow your passion my friend, for you have told me the same thing years ago with Tormund. Yes we have our ups and downs but at the end of the day I love that man and I know he loves me back. You guys have something similar, so fight for it. Promise me you will.”  
_  
He then sighed heavily. When he looked at Dany, she had fear in her eyes. Fear of being heartbroken, fear of being rejected and so many similar things. He smiled at her for a brief moment but then got serious.  
  
“ _Look Dany, I don’t want to be a hypocrite. There were two reasons that I paused briefly. First to digest everything you said and the second was that this all reminded me of something that I said to a dear friend. I told her to follow her passion, if she was so sure that the love was mutual. I don’t regret doing that one bit, especially now that she’ll get married. I will follow my passion too, because now I know and am aware that the love is mutual between us.”  
  
_ Dany nodded. The fear from her eyes was gone immediately. Just when it looked like she was about to say something, Jon put a finger on her lips and continued.  
  
“ _Still, with such instability, we’ll need to be more rational. Now I want you to listen to me really carefully and register as much as possible. We need to make clear decisions and stand by them. I don’t want to be the one who always makes the decisions in this, but at this point it’s clear that I’ll need to. So we’ll set some ground rules and I want you to really stick by them if we are to continue.”  
  
“Please go on.”  
  
“We are to see at least once a week and I’m stressing at least here, because once probably won’t be enough for neither of us under this much stress. You’re welcome to stay here as many nights as you want during the week. You will call Irri, apologize for being absent and will make amends with her. You are so attending your weekly meetings with your friends and I don’t want to hear any excuses. Friends help you get through tough times and you won’t be isolating yourself from them like this. Listen to their advice but at the end of the day do what you must. Are we clear until here?”  
  
“But you don’t get it, I get tired a lot at work. There’s constant pressure, especially now that Viserys is back at the office, it gets worse and worse the whole time.”  
  
“Let me ask you something then. Has talking about stuff with me helped you even the tiniest bit?”  
  
“Uhm… yes but what does it have to do with Viserys?”  
  
“Then apparently talking about things is helpful.”  
  
“Point taken. Continue.”  
  
“There will be full disclosure between us. No more secrets. We will tell each other everything and by this I mean not just the personal stuff. If there’s something bothering you at work, you will let me know. Anything, anyone, whatever is bothering you, I will know about it. This is not complaining, not putting the burden on me or anything.”  
  
“But how do you know something like that won’t happen again? You know, a thing that will make me feel so insecure that it will again put distance between us?”  
  
“No such thing will happen. I just need you to be patient for a while before I know more about your work stuff. Oberyn told me earlier today that the Tyrells had screwed you and Rhaegar was being put under constant pressure. Now I don’t know for sure but this has to do something with both of you being active in Seaworth’s campaign.  
  
“This whole thing is political?”  
  
“Dany, everything is political in Westeros. Okay maybe not our relationship, but still, everything else is. You know how it has been for the past 20 something years. Our adolescence has been hell because of these fuckers.”  
  
“Yeah, let’s not get started about that, otherwise we’ll both rant till the morning.”  
  
“So much is true. But as I said; full disclosure. We tell each other EVERYTHING from now on. Promise?”  
  
“Promise. No more secrets.”  
  
_***  
  
The brief was well prepared. Arya quickly went through the papers in front of her once more. Jon Arryn was watching her with interest. Arryn was already in his mid-fifties though his age didn’t show. After staying silent for a while more, he put his pen down and turned completely towards Arya.  
  
“ _Now I know that you’re in this because you want to get back at Baelish. We will give him to you in the end to do as you please. However we need you to bring the North into the fold when we call for the elections. You are the last living Stark and I know that Northerners are a proud people but this is very important for the country. You needn’t do much in any case. Just appear with Davos when he comes to Winterfell. That should do nicely and will show that you are supporting him.”  
  
“I don’t know this Davos Seaworth to be honest. It would have been much easier if you were running. Not only because of your relations with my late father but also for the things that you’ve done for me. The North remembers. In any case I’ll do your bidding, as long as you give me Baelish.”  
  
“He’ll be yours, have no worries there. Also there is one more thing that I need to ask you. This musician friend of yours, Jon Snow… Davos and I strongly believe that he and his friends should spearhead the campaign. We heard that he is trustworthy enough with his work ethic and can get ruthless when necessary. Would you vouch for him?”  
  
“Of course. You know how he took care of me before you brought me back to the country. I can set up a meeting between the two of you, if you really want to get to know him better.”  
  
“That is already arranged. We were going to offer the job to he and his friends anyway, but I just wanted your honest opinion. Glad we’re on the same page then.”  
  
_The rest of the flight was comfortably silent. Arya’s heartbeat quickened at the thought of Jon spearheading this campaign. They had always wanted to work together since she first mentioned the animation ideas to him years ago in Braavos. At that point, it had been about survival and ideals but now this was going to be for a better future.  
  
***  
  
“ _So when is it that you want us to meet? And do I really have to bring Rhaegar with me?”  
  
“Be there at 8 sharp. It’s better that he joins as well. They are pressuring him but they set you up. Therefore it’s really more practical if both of you guys join us for the dinner. I’m also invited to this meeting with Davos Seaworth and co. tomorrow. We’re most likely to strategize and lead the campaign.”  
  
“Oh Jon, that’s wonderful news, I’m so happy for you!”  
  
_She was in his arms once again. Jon enjoyed the comfortable silence right before they left his apartment. Before they went their separate ways, he cupped her face and kissed her once more.  
  
“ _I love you and I want you to know that I’ll be by your side. We’re going to handle this and all will be well.”  
  
“I love you too and I trust you. I want you to never forget that.”  
  
“I won’t.”  
  
_With that, they parted. Dany had to drive to work, while Jon took a cab to the hospital. First he needed to check his father out of the hospital, bring them back home and again leave for that dinner with Oberyn and Varys. This Varys guy was very interesting. Jon had seen him several times before in some events, but had met him only once in person. He looked sly, but then again at his profession, probably that was a necessity. Once he was on the phone with Oberyn, he had insisted the Targaryens should join them and learn what they should know about the ongoing stuff. Jon was sure that neither Dany, nor Rhaegar would be told about everything and some of the stuff in between the higher ups was going to be kept a secret.   
  
Between the hospital and the flat, three hours had passed and he hadn’t understood how time flew by. He was tired, but still he had to attend the meeting. After making sure his father was okay and all settled in, he took his phone and decided to text Dany.  
  
“ _No change of plans, right? This isn’t something you guys should skip in any case.”  
  
“No no, we’re coming. It took some convincing with Rhaegar but once he noticed that I knew more than I should, he agreed to join. I’m going to try and keep him from being aggressive towards all of you because he really is clearly disturbed by all these things.”  
  
“No need to keep him in check. He’s free to lash out and get angry. This will be a private dinner anyway. He can shout, throw bottles etc. no worries. I’ll give you a call once I’m on my way. Don’t be late!”  
  
“Will be there on time. Your place after the dinner?”  
  
“If you’re up for meeting my folks, then sure.”  
  
“Oh shit, I totally forgot that they were to stay with you for a few days. Everything is fine, right?”  
  
“Yeah yeah, no worries. They leave for Tarth on the weekend if the doctor lets father travel. Afterwards you’re mine.”  
  
“I’m yours anyway :)”  
  
“Good to know that :) See you in a few hours!”  
  
_***  
  
The traffic was jammed, but according to the maps, they would make it to the rendezvous place on time. Dany was quite thrilled to be a part of something politically secretive. Jon had told her when they met that he knew these kind of people but he wasn’t very much involved with them. Now that the time was right, he was actually getting involved and this was really exciting. It also made her blood boil. Jon had warned her that she would likely hear things that she wouldn’t like at all but she had promised to keep her composure. For Jon she would do that.  
  
“ _So tell me again, who is this Varys guy?”  
  
“He apparently works for the intelligence service, nowadays mainly for the ministry of state and foreign affairs.”  
  
“And how do you know him?”  
  
“I don’t. Oberyn Martell does.”  
  
“Ah, Doran Martell’s son. Father always spoke highly of him. Where have you met Oberyn Martell anyway?”  
  
“At a party.”  
  
“Are you involved with him?”  
  
“No, but why are you interrogating me like this now?”  
  
“You’re my baby sister, I need to know if you’re hanging out with jerks.”  
  
“I’ve had my share of jerks in the past Rhaegar. Neither you, nor anyone else did anything about it. You guys blamed me about it even but I don’t want to get into that now.”  
  
“Alright, I understand that you’re still upset with us about the whole Drogo incident and you are right. I should have intervened way earlier.”  
  
_This was followed by a tense but brief moment of silence.  
  
“ _So who is it that you are seeing? Are you on and off with someone? Mom told me that you didn’t come home last night, after leaving rather quickly around 7.”  
  
“So you’re asking mom to keep me in check? Rhaegar please, I’m 31 years old, I think I can handle my own personal life.”  
  
“Yes yes, of course, but still please tell me if there is someone.”  
  
“Why do you want to know this so badly?”  
  
“So that I won’t make the same mistake that I made with Drogo?”  
  
_Rhaegar had pressed the right button. Dany was still upset with him since their fight but with time, their relationship had started healing. He was her brother after all.  
  
“ _I will tell you if you promise to behave.”  
  
“I promise.”  
  
“His name is Jon. He’s a composer, one of the partners of BackStage actually.”  
  
“OH. You are dating HIM? I met him the week before. He seemed very nice”  
  
“Where? How? How come everyone somehow runs into him or meets him without my knowledge?”  
  
“Well you know that Tyene is a big fan of Ebrose of Old Westeros. We went to see the play there and he was there too.”  
  
“Was he watching his own work? That’s not like him to do so.”  
  
“Oh no no, he wasn’t in attendance. You probably know that they have a studio downstairs and he was leaving work when the performance had ended. When Samwell Tarly noticed that and actually called for him, he came by you know. Humble guy really. Shook hands with everyone around, asked if people liked what they saw and then he left. I like artists like that.”  
  
“Like how?”  
  
“He’s not the show-off type. Pretty obvious that he’s calm and down to earth. I can see why you’d like him.”  
  
“And why would that be?”  
  
“He’s your puzzle piece. It should be clicking without any problems, considering that he has the patience to actually hang out with you.”  
  
_Then Dany couldn’t help but smack her brother in the arm.  
  
“ _Hey! I’m the one who’s driving here, I’d rather be careful with that. In any case, he seems nice so introduce me properly when you feel the time is right. Wait hold on… MOM KNOWS AND SHE SAID NOTHING? REALLY?”  
  
“Mom knows yes, but not too much in detail. We had some fights in the past few months when everything was shitty but recently made up again so all is well now.”  
  
“Is he by any means like Drogo? Tell me now and I’ll kill him.”  
  
“Of course not. Comparing them would be an insult to Jon. Actually, you’ll get to see him tonight at dinner. He’s attending as well.”  
  
“What? How come he’s connected to these people?”  
  
“He’s very close friends with Oberyn Martell and his company is likely to spearhead Seaworth’s new campaign. So you should be on your best behavior tonight and if you want to interrogate him, that’s going to wait.”  
  
“Very well then. We’re almost there. I’ll do my best to behave tonight, but you owe me a bottle of wine now because you fed me the information at the very last possible moment.”  
  
“Fine fine. You’ll get your wine, just park the car so we can actually sit down and eat. I’m starving.”  
  
_***  
  
Oberyn Martell fancied this restaurant. A lot.  
  
He had first come here with his father Doran, when he was to meet with the Durrandons. He had just completed his masters at that point and the Durrandon Company was one of the big food companies, that had undconditionally supported the smallfolk with food during the big Essosi war between the Dothraki and the cities of Slaver’s Bay. Then they had gone down in a hostile takeover and Robert Baratheon had come to power. Oberyn despised the man, despised everything he stood for, as he was a perfect example how to rise to the top during the Greyjoy reign. Being a kiss-ass had got him far and being a kiss-ass was going to take him down.  
  
When he was alone with his thoughts, Jon had arrived, only to be followed by Varys. “ _Three out of five”_ Varys had said to him with an insincere smile. They maybe had a few moments before the Targaryens made their entrance. This was the first time for he and Jon to meet Rhaegar Targaryen. He was a bit shorter than he and Jon, but still would be considered above average for Westerosi standards.   
  
He extended his hand first to him, then to Varys and after a brief pause where he examined Jon, to him too. “ _Oh, the big brother is sizing up the possible boyfriend candidate.”_ he thought inwardly. The last thing they needed here was a family drama, for this meeting was strictly business. Before Varys could open his mouth, Oberyn signaled at their waiter for the night and told to the guests that they would be heading to the private room.  
  
***  
  
Rhaegar Targaryen didn’t want to waste time with any pleasantries. That much was clear and Jon appreciated him for that. He always liked it when people were direct, pragmatic and almost blunt when it came to matters like this. He had told Dany that it was okay if Rhaegar lost control and went on and on about some of the names who had crossed them. As long as they were in this together, he’d make sure no harm would come to them at all.  
  
“ _So this is practically about Robert Baratheon’s never ending grudge with me because the woman he thought he loved is my wife of five years? Fucking asshole, I mean seriously how old is he anyway? Nowadays even children don’t act like that!”  
  
_ Then Varys intervened. Somehow his voice was the calmest that Jon had ever heard. “ _He knows how to maintain stability in political conflicts”_ Jon thought inwardly. It would be interesting to hear what the spider had in his pocket this time.  
  
“ _So let me explain briefly Mr. Targaryen. The main idea was to accomplish the same thing that Robert Baratheon had done with the Durrandons, years ago. They intended to push both of you away, let your uncle take over only but in name, while all the profit would be shared between Robert and the Tyrells. However Tyrells actually mean Baelish and his network nowadays. You’ll need to know that the wife of Willas Tyrell used to be a prostitute working for Petyr Baelish.”  
  
_ There was an uncomfortable silence at that point. Dany’s face looked pale. She looked like she could puke all over the table. That’s how uncomfortable she was, Jon noticed. He calmly squeezed her hand from under the table. She needed courage to deal with this situation at that moment.   
  
“ _So practically Baelish used this girl to first gain power with the Tyrells. Old Olenna Tyrell is now 82 years old. Once she’s gone, Baelish thought himself to be the main man to seize power in the Reach and actually play for Harrenhall next. He wants to rise slowly but surely and this way he doesn’t really catch much attention from Euron Greyjoy himself. He could burn the whole country down, if that meant he became the king of the ashes.”  
  
_ Then Oberyn took the word from there. Clearly it was time for his expertise, once the Targaryens were briefed with the main information. He straightened himself in his seat, cleared his throat and turned to Rhaegar.  
  
“ _Our fathers are friends and they did business together. I want you to know that Dorne is with you. My father can still influence a lot of people there, so we will bring you more business for the time so you can keep the stability of the firm. However the main idea is to support Davos Seaworth to run for president. The Westerosi Grand National Assembly will call for a vote of no confidence in Euron Greyjoy soon enough. I’m aware that the payments from Tyrell are arriving late, because their resources are drained. Greyjoy cannot keep his pawns in check anymore, especially after losing the resources in Harrenhall and King’s Landing. To summarize, the deal is this; We get the Tyrells off your back, try and support the company for the time being, at least until the Greyjoy reign is over, in return you use your influence within the youth council to make sure that Seaworth goes through as the main candidate.  
  
_ He checked the tension of the table and then looked at Dany. She seemed to have liked what she had heard so it looked like they were cool. Rhaegar Targaryen however, seemed a little bit puzzled and surely he had questions in his mind. He cleared his throat, turned to Oberyn but pointed his finger at Jon.   
  
“ _This all sounds perfect but what is his deal in all this?”  
  
_ Jon just smiled briefly but decided to keep his mouth shut. There were people who would talk for him at the table. He just wanted to observe a little bit more.  
  
“ _Jon and his company are going to lead the campaign for Davos Seaworth. As you know nowadays they are funded by Randyll Tarly, who has one thing in his mind; to push the Tyrells out and become the main family in the Reach. Jon will help secure you all the payment you’ll receive from the Tyrells, give Tarly even more reason to push them out and will assure that your company stays alive. Then it will be up to you to choose what you want to do in the future.”  
  
_ There was an evil grin on Dany’s face. Jon couldn’t help grinning at that point either. Their eyes were locked and then Dany spoke for the first time, looking directly into Jon’s eyes.  
  
“ _As long as you let me get my hands on that whore Doreah, you have a deal.”  
  
_ Jon didn’t hesitate at all. His expression hadn’t changed while looking at Dany.  
  
“ _Consider it done.”  
  
_ ***  
  
After further details were discussed, Rhaegar then stood up and held his hand out for Oberyn to shake. He then shook Varys’ hand as well. When it came to Jon, he paused but then Jon extended his hand to him. For Dany, everything was in slow motion at that point. They shook hands and Rhaegar looked satisfied. Then Varys excused himself for the evening and Oberyn went to visit the bathroom and later went again for a phone call with Ellaria. It was just the three of them left.  
  
“ _So Dany has told me that you guys are sort of together?”  
  
“We are.”  
  
“And you’re not afraid that her elder brother who has a short temper is sitting across the table?”  
  
“Harming me doesn’t do you any good at this point, so no.”  
  
“I like how you handled yourself tonight. You carried yourself with style at the theater too. Still, I’d like to get to know you more, if you are to continue dating my sister.”  
  
“Name the time and the place and I’ll be there. You know the schedule will be terrible, although you’re welcome to visit us at BackStage any time you wish.”  
  
“Will keep that in mind. I’ll take off for now, for I have a wife and a kid at home waiting for me. You’ll drop Dany home or is she staying with you tonight?”  
  
“No, I’ll drop her home. We both have lots of work to do tomorrow.”  
  
“Alright then.”  
  
_***  
  
With that her brother had left. Dany was more than thrilled at that point. Her heart was racing, her blood had boiled during the meeting and she was barely calming down after that adrenaline rush.   
  
“ _Do we have to keep our masks on when it comes to such meetings?”  
  
“Uhm… I guess. Why did you ask that?”  
  
“Because you were so hot, with your game face on.”  
  
“Don’t tempt me woman. You know that I can’t take you home tonight.”  
  
“I know, that’s why I’m teasing you a little here.”  
  
_Then Jon’s phone buzzed. On the screen it was visible that it was a message from Arya Stark. The name immediately brought back memories to Dany. The time where everything had gone to hell months ago and the feeling had resurfaced. Her inner voice was telling her to calm down constantly but Dany was having difficulties with keeping her composure and Jon had noticed that.  
  
“ _Dany, what’s wrong?”  
  
“I need a clear, honest answer. Who IS Arya Stark?”  
  
“Do you want to meet her?”  
  
“Should I be afraid of her?”  
  
“Oh I think everyone should be afraid of Arya. Still, want to meet her?”  
  
“You didn’t get my point. I was asking if something had happened between the two of you.”  
  
_Jon smiled, unlocked the phone’s screen and showed the message to Dany.  
  
“ _In KL with Jon Arryn. Grab a bite after tomorrow’s meeting? Everything fine now with Dany? Do I get to meet her?”  
  
_ Dany felt a little embarrassed when she saw the message and almost didn’t feel that Jon’s hand was on hers. When he lightly squeezed her hand, then she came back to life. He was smiling and looking at her like she was the most important thing in the world.  
  
“ _Yes. Yes, I’d like to meet her, but you’ll need to tell me who she is anyway. And what did you mean by saying that everyone should be afraid of her?”  
  
“Oh calm down, Arya is the sweetest person on the planet unless you cross her. You gals will get along, I’m sure. She’s one of my oldest friends and if you hadn’t moved faster and asked me, I was going to suggest that you meet her while she’s in town.”  
  
_Dany could tell her cheeks were flushed at that point. Jon retook his phone from the table and typed something. Then he put the phone in front of Dany to read.  
  
“ _Yes, yes and yes. See you tomorrow.”  
  
_ This man just wouldn’t let her be upset for anything. At that moment she knew that and hoped that she would never disappoint him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Dany finally opens up fully about her inner turmoils and now the real struggle begins because for both of them, stressful times are on the horizon.
> 
> Good news is that the next chapter is fully typed already. Will read it through once more and try to post it tomorrow!
> 
> Thank you all once again for reading and commenting!


	13. The Long Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seaworth's campaign starts, Arya gets to meet Dany and Dany starts making decisions for the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working from home certainly helps! Here's a slightly earlier update for that reason! Hope you guys enjoy this one :)

“ _How am I supposed to get off work that early? Viserys will kill me if he finds out that I’m leaving early.”  
  
“Firstly, you don’t let him bully you anymore. Secondly, have Rhaegar cover for you and you can always tell him that this is political. Or you know, just tell them that you’ll be having lunch with your boyfriend and your uncle can shove it.”  
  
“Mmm… My boyfriend. I like the sound of it. Would you like to repeat it? You know, it sounds like music to my ears.”  
  
“Sure. You’ll be having lunch with your BOYFRIEND. How did that sound?”  
  
“Perfect. I’ll be there by 1 pm in that case. By the way, I need to ask you something.”  
  
“Go ahead but be quick. I need to finish this recording before the meeting, that’s why I’m at the office this early.”  
  
“Is it okay if I eat like, say a possessed animal, in front of Arya? She wouldn’t think badly of me right? I didn’t get the chance to have breakfast and you know how I am when it comes to eating right after waking up.”  
  
“She’s a northerner, so that answers your question. Secondly, I don’t like the fact that you’re skipping breakfast but we’ll get to that later. I got to go now, so see you at 1!”  
  
“Yep, see you.”  
  
_This was the confidence boost she needed. She knew she could stand up to her uncle now. She had Jon’s backing, hell she had half the country’s backing if she needed. She had at least three hours before she could get off from work, so she decided to actually get some work done. She put on some good music, focused at what she did and an hour had already passed. Then there was a knock on the door.  
  
“ _Yes?”  
  
“Ms. Targaryen, Mr. Targaryen wants to see you in his office.”  
  
“Which one of them?”  
  
“Viserys.”  
  
“Sarella, we had discussed this before, be specific about the male Targaryen next time, okay?”  
  
“Yes, Ms. Targaryen.”  
  
_She made her way to Viserys’ office, half expecting Rhaegar to be there. Luckily he was there so now she knew that it was two against one. Viserys looked a little tired, but his ugly smirk was there as always. “ _Probably the stress is killing him, now that he is probably aware that he backed the wrong horse.”_ she thought inwardly. With a small smile on her face, she sat down and lit a cigarette. Rhaegar looked a little surprised with this show of confidence but then lit a cigarette himself. They looked at each other and then Dany nodded to him so that he could start.  
  
“ _Since you are the one who complains about people wasting time on work, can you be quick with what you have to say so we can get back to work?”  
  
“Oh Rhaegar, relax. This is about the annual ball. Everyone needs some time to chill, right? Especially dear Dany here, who’s been the true workhorse of the Tyrell deal. So, I was thinking we could have the little celebration right before Christmas so everyone would be able to take the next day off as well.”  
  
_Then Dany couldn’t help but intervene.  
  
“ _Oh, since when are you concerned with the wellbeing of your workers? I thought you never gave a shit about them.”  
  
“Particularly I don’t care about them but you know, at my age it gets difficult to come to work after a day of heavy drinking. So do both of you approve? We can settle for the 23rd this year? I’m also expecting your father to attend. He can go outside nowadays, right? It wouldn’t be so nice if he missed out this one.”  
  
“I’m sure he wouldn’t miss the annual bowl, don’t worry uncle. If that’s all, I’d like to get back to work, because I need to be out of the office by 12.15 pm.”  
  
“And why would that be? I thought we had agreed on this. You are the first one to arrive and the last one to leave between the three of us?”  
  
“Not today. I’ll be out having lunch with my boyfriend.”  
  
“Boyfriend? Our little Dany has a boyfriend now, how wonderful.”  
  
_Then Rhaegar intervened.  
  
“ _I met him. He could kick your ass at breakfast and then he could eat you for lunch.”  
  
_ All the color had left Viserys’ face when Rhaegar said that. Then she stood up from her seat and smiled at both of them.  
  
“ _Even without the pile of work on my table, I wouldn’t spend the rest of the day with you two miserable old shits. See you!”  
  
_ When she was leaving, she could hear Rhaegar shouting from the background.  
  
“ _HEY! I’M NOT THAT OLD!”_  
  
***  
  
They were waiting for Jon and co. to arrive. Arya was thrilled about this more than she thought. The thought of Jon and her being able to work together for a better future, while establishing themselves even more. That brought her the most joy out of the whole thing. That and finally making that asshole Baelish crawl. She was going to enjoy the end of it for sure. Her thoughts were to starve him, have him beaten up by the guards in Winterfell and so on. Then she took a look at the giant of a man standing right behind Davos Seaworth. “ _Sandor Clegane”_ she said the name inwardly. He was probably the best fist fighter around and a reason to feel secure about oneself. He used to work for Jon Arryn before, when Arryn had her smuggled back into the country. She didn’t want to remember the old times so she quickly changed her attention to someplace else. Doran Martell had arrived with his son, so she smiled at Oberyn but didn’t initiate a conversation.  
  
Then the doors opened. Randyll Tarly walked in, followed by Jaime Lannister and finally Jon came in too. Her heartbeat quickened at the sight but then she noticed that he had his game-face on, so she avoided eye contact. They were to meet after this was over anyway. Then she noticed all eyes were on Jon and Jaime. After all they were to give a presentation here. She so hoped that they were well prepared, but knowing Jon’s work ethic, her mind went back to ease and she calmly sipped her water. Then Jon started talking. There were no pleasantries made and now it was strictly, straight to business.  
  
“ _You’ll need different approaches for different age groups. That means using the billboards for the working class and elderly people. However, the main group you’re trying to win is the age category between 18 and 45. Now I was told before coming here that you wanted to make a short movie to reach the desired audiences. Good plan, but needs expanding. We’re going to shoot a short clip, maximum of five minutes, and then a few versions will be made of maximum one minute, so you can share it as a post on instagram. Also, ten second clips will be made, so those could reach a wider audience via stories. During the campaign you’re going to need to use your social media better than you did before the local elections. Our team will take over with this and it’s wiser that you don’t engage with anyone personally at least for the first few weeks of the campaign. We want you to do it where everyone can see. Plus Euron will try to refrain from facing you on a live debate, so push the idea as much as you can. If he cows and agrees, you’ll crush him. If he doesn’t agree, that makes him a coward anyway.”  
  
_ Arya was fascinated. She knew that her friend had a solid political mind, but he barely talked about his political ideas. He knew that it was necessary that he kept those to himself. Then she noticed the proud smirk on Oberyn’s face. They definitely had consulted with him before this presentation was prepared. Then her eyes turned to Davos Seaworth and Jon Arryn. Arryn was constantly nodding in approval, while Seaworth’s eyes were shining with interest. Then suddenly he raised his hand and Jon was quiet.  
  
“ _I took you only for a composer before coming here, but certainly you have much more in you. You are what, 30-31 years old right? Your peers are the main voters in the continent now, from Winterfell to Dorne. The things you said were in my mind, some of them for sure, some of them vaguely there as ideas. Now I won’t interrupt you again until you’re finished, but just wanted to let you know at this point, I am very much impressed.”  
  
_ Jon nodded and muttered a simple thank you. Then continued with the same energy he had started.   
  
“ _Now before coming here I was briefed about how you wanted to underline the fact that your campaign is pushing for a united front, A United Westeros, so to speak. You are at the same time encouraging people to vote for a better future, you’re inviting them to build it with you, together. We’re going to come up with multiple slogans for multiple fronts, use it to catch interest from different groups of people. Say for example “for a better tomorrow” is even a good slogan at this point, because that’s practically the generic root of your campaign.”  
  
_ Arya kept on observing the room. More nods of approvals were coming from Seaworth’s people. Jon was nailing this. She would kill to just light a cigarette there and puff it around because she was so enjoying this. Then Jon Arryn raised a hand and asked a question to his namesake.  
  
“ _Excellent strategic ideas, but you still haven’t mentioned the part where your real profession comes into play. The visual part, sure, you guys seem to have it covered. I want to know about the audible parts of it. Hence bringing us, to the music.”  
  
_ Jon smiled confidently at the old man. Then turned to Davos Seaworth to see how his expression was. The interest in his eyes was genuine so he continued with the same tone.  
  
“ _The epic tune you required will be for the short clip. It will also partly feature in the social media and the tv ads. There will be another campaign song for sure, especially for those times when you are to rally. Have your statement prepared and sent to our office for our writers to review and add a few things necessary, once the decision of election comes out from the Assembly. This will be the first phase and we have alternative routes planned. Now, if there are any questions, I’ll take them.”  
  
_ There were a few simple questions asked from Seaworth’s team. Jon and Jaime were very specific about no engagement with the enemy at first. They were going to cause outbursts from Greyjoy, force him into making mistakes and then Seaworth would be allowed to engage him and crush him on the spot. Once the questions were done with, Seaworth rose from his seat, shook both Jaime and Jon’s hands and left with his people. Jaime would leave with the Martells, leaving her and Jon on their own. Once they were out of the building, Jon gave her a big hug.   
  
“ _I’m so glad to see you’re doing okay”_ she whispered to his ear. She had feared for her friend’s condition for a long while after that one incident. The fear had grown in her especially after whenever she asked him about Dany. Finally a positive response had come and that had made her relieved.   
  
“ _I won’t die yet.”_ He replied cockily. Arya liked how confident her friend had become and was really happy about his mood.   
  
“ _So, when do I get to meet the famous Daenerys Targaryen?”  
  
_ Jon checked the time and responded “ _In about 15 minutes.”  
  
_ “ _Oh good. I’m starving; let’s get to the damn restaurant_.”  
  
***  
  
When she got to the restaurant, it was five to one. She tried to look inside to actually see if Jon and Arya had arrived but the lights were rather dim. Then a waiter came and asked her about her reservation. She then told the waiter that the reservation was in Jon’s name.  
  
“ _Ah table for three. Your friends have arrived ma’am. Follow me please.”  
  
_ This was the thing with Jon. He loved casual places, he could even hang out with her in a park and drink beer, but then again when there was something important for him, he would go for a fancy restaurant. Getting fatter paychecks were surely helping this too. As the waiter was leading her to the table, she noticed Jon and Arya next to him. He was in a jet-black suit, with a black tie. “ _Of course, formal presentation.“_ Dany thought to herself and then checked Arya. She was a little shorter than her and was also dressed in all black. They both rose from their seats as she approached. Jon then hugged her and gave her a little kiss. Behind him, Arya was smiling at her. Then he stood in the middle of them and introduced them to each other.  
  
“ _Arya, meet Dany. My girlfriend.”  
  
_ Gods, he loved doing that to her. Just because she said she enjoyed it, he was going to milk it as much as possible. Dany felt her cheeks flush as Arya extended her hand towards her. She quickly shook her hand and let Jon help her sit at the table. “ _Ever the perfect gentleman.”_ she thought and smiled. Not only he was making sure that she felt confident and safe with a stranger whom she doubted without knowing, he was also showing at his longtime friend, how much she cared for her.   
  
After a little chit-chat, the starters arrived, the salad came, then Jon had ordered a big pile of fries and said that he did it because he knew all of them were crazy about fries. The three of them devoured the huge plate and Arya was constantly telling Jon that how she liked Dany eating like a northerner. Seemingly the first impression was good. Then Jon’s phone rang and seeing that it was Jaime, he had to pick it up. He left the table and that could easily go on for a few minutes. Once he was out of sight, Arya looked at her in the eye and started talking.  
  
“ _You know, you’re the first ever person that he has cared this much about. Now I had met this Ygritte before and hated her guts the moment we met. It’s different with you, that I can tell. You’re kind, certainly adaptive and even though it took you some time to figure out, I can both sense and tell that you love him. I can see it in the way you look at him and that pleases me.”  
  
_ Dany didn’t know what to say. Surely Arya’s approval had to be important for Jon, because he had introduced them. Then there was a darker tone in her eyes and her voice got more serious.  
  
“ _If you ever hurt him, I’ll make sure you’ll pay the price. Jon means the world to me and I won’t see him getting hurt. Again.”  
  
_ It took Dany a few seconds to get her composure back. This tiny woman in front of her had an impressive aura surrounding her and it seriously looked like she could just stab her to her death and wouldn’t leave any traces behind her. Then she looked her in the eyes and stood her ground.  
  
“ _Not only I’ll do my best to not to hurt him, I’ll also do my best to not to disappoint him. He also means the world to me. He’s the first guy who actually has seen me for who I am and treats me with respect. He’s aware that he’s way smarter than I am but he’s not using it to bully me. He treats me like his equal and I love him for that. Not just for these things of course. I love him for who he is.”  
  
_ Arya was sizing her up, she could tell that. Then her smile returned and her eyes were shining again.   
  
“ _Glad to hear these. I won’t however repeat myself. I have spoken.”  
  
_ Then Jon appeared with his phone put away.  
  
“ _Oh, so what were you guys talking about when I was gone? Gossiping about me?”  
  
_ They both replied at the same time.  
  
“ _UH NO NOTHING, JUST GIRL STUFF.”  
  
_ ***  
  
They had dropped Arya to the hotel where Jon Arryn was staying, as she was going to head to Harrenhall with him later in the evening. Jon had to drop by the office to grab a few things and afterwards they would head to his place. Dany had been longing to spend some quality alone time with him since the night they had made up. It had been mainly phone calls or texts between them ever since, discounting the dinner they had, which featured other people. She was yearning for him and couldn’t stop touching him during the cab ride to his place. “ _A little patience princess.”_ he had whispered to her ear, when he had noticed this and that had turned her on even more.   
  
As soon as they entered his apartment, she had jumped him. He was luckily, happy to oblige and devour her like a possessed man. There was something more different about him on that evening. He had felt stronger, more dominant and definitely hungrier for her. Dany was lost in him during the whole evening. She had let him have his way with her and gods; he was pressing all the right buttons. Hours later, she was resting on his chest, lazily kissing him. She was unsure whether to ask him or not and of course he had noticed her getting lost in her thoughts.  
  
“ _What is it? Just go ahead and ask, you know that I don’t bite.”  
  
_ Dany chuckled at the remark and kissed him a little more. Then she pulled herself to his level and nuzzled his face. He was clearly enjoying that but his eyes were getting serious.  
  
“ _Tonight was different. You made me feel wanted. Like the most important thing in the world. The way you handled me made me feel incredible. I mean sure, I like it rough sometimes but this was really different. It felt like you possessed me and gods, it was great.”  
  
_ Jon smiled at her after that. Clearly he knew what he wanted to say, but he was enjoying this state of hers a little too much.  
  
“ _It was because I love you and I know that you love me too. That’s what’s made me lust for you even more.”  
  
_ There was the briefest of silence after that. Dany was between turned on and emotional but went with turned on.  
  
And Jon fucked her until she couldn’t scream anymore.  
  
***  
  
They loved each other, that much was for sure. Still, Jon had some questions in his mind. She had talked about maybe getting treatment. Sure, now that it looked all and well, she was in a happy state and everything was fine. But what if everything really started collapsing once again? What if she again put some distance between them, or worse, built the same sort of barrier between them?  
  
She was sleeping so peacefully on his chest that he wanted to cling onto that moment and keep it forever. But the thoughts were there. Then he remembered all those promises he made about being there for her and with her, for all the good and bad.  
  
“ _If she cannot manage again, I’ll help her out. This time I’ll be more patient and more understanding. That’s the least I can do for the woman I love.”_ He thought to himself. His inner voice was right but only he didn’t know about it yet. There would be challenges on the way for sure and Dany would fail to come through. This time however, he was going to handle this much better. That he didn’t know yet either.  
  
They woke up to his alarm at 7.30 am and Jon immediately went to the coffee machine and hit the shower. Once he was out, he noticed Dany was still sleeping. So he kissed her until she woke up and brought the coffee mug to her.   
  
“ _Oh, that’s probably the second nicest way of being waken up.”  
  
“I think I know the first one, but we need to go to work and if I start with that, we can’t make it until the afternoon.”  
  
_She reached towards him and hugged him. Trying to press him back to the bed, but Jon wouldn’t budge. “ _We’ll need to get up princess.”_ he said to her and then casually lifted her from the bed. Within five minutes, they were both dressed and sipping their coffee in the kitchen. Then Dany looked at him with serious eyes and started speaking.  
  
“ _We didn’t go back to the topic but you know I mentioned treatment. Firstly I want to let the antidepressants go. I think that would be a good start, because you know, I hadn’t consulted the doctor by any means. Secondly, I don’t want to go to that doctor anyway. I’ll search for someone who actually can understand and devote some time to me. Do you support my decision on this?”  
  
_ “ _I do. Still, I think you have more to say?”  
  
“Yeah. Now if I am to start a new treatment with new medication, it will definitely have side effects. Also during the time that I’m dropping this antidepressant, I might have problems with concentration and again as I said, empathizing can become difficult. So I want you to know that if I ever behave like I’m not interested, it’s not like that.”  
  
“Alright, I got that part already when we talked before. Still, I think it’s good that you’ve decided. During this transition phase I want us to spend more time. Don’t shut me out, because clearly being happy is helping you, right?”  
  
“It does. Since we made up, I haven’t been taking anything. It’s been ten days now and sure I have some concentration problems at work, but being with you is really helping.”  
  
“So we keep it like that. Once you decide on the doctor, I’d like to come and visit too, if that’s okay for you.”  
  
“Of course. I want you to feel sure about this too. Still I want to ask you something. What if I’m in need of dire space and being alone and so on?”  
  
“Dany, you’re not alone when you’re away from me. It drags you back to your family and then you get the feeling of being stuck. Plus you’re with them all the time anyway and you’re constantly trying to keep a brave face in front of your parents. Well luckily that will go away soon enough so at least that’s something off your shoulders. But at this point I can advise that you move out on your own, if you find it affordable. Only then you would have your own space for sure.”  
  
“I understand and I have thought about it but it’s impossible with dad’s condition. Mom needs the help and whenever I’m not around, it gets difficult for them. Anyway, there’s one more thing that I need to ask you…”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“On the 23rd there is the annual ball of the company. I was wondering if you wanted to attend it with me? That’s probably the safest environment for you to meet my parents too. Now I know, this might be too much at once, but still if you said yes, it would be lovely.”  
  
“Let me put it on my calendar so there are no schedule clashes. 23rd it is.”  
  
_***  
  
Val wasn’t used to the fancy ways of the politicians. She didn’t care much for politics either, but Arya was to stay with her for a night or two and she was coming with the actual fucking mayor of Harrenhall. She had noticed that there was chaos on the street, people actually had left their houses and flats to go and see Jon Arryn. Ever the gentleman, Jon Arryn left his car, to meet and greet the people, while Arya was escorted towards her building by a brute of a man. “ _He looks like he would get along with Tormund.”_ she mused and chuckled at the thought.   
  
Once the doorbell rang, she was already by the door. The longtime friends hugged each other and knowing her preferences, Val immediately headed for the whiskey bottle. Pouring both of them a glass, when she returned to the living room, she found Arya had already made herself comfortable on the couch.  
  
“ _So, soon to be wed Northern princess. How’s the engaged life going?”  
  
“Oh, I’m still trying to adapt to the thought that Tormund proposed. It feels good though, that we’re finally taking that step. But you have some news of your own. I heard Jon made up with this Daenerys girl and you actually met her, right? When I met her, they had barely started dating I think. How is she? Did you get the measure of her?”  
  
“She’s fine alright. Will be much better for Jon than Ygritte for sure. It’s obvious that she cares for him and she definitely loves him, you HAD TO see how she looked at him but me being me, I had to say that I’d kick her ass if he ever hurt Jon.”  
  
“And how did she react to that?”  
  
“She took it like a champ.”  
  
“Oh, so she’s tough huh?”  
  
“Not in the ugly way maybe, but yes. A strong woman for sure. Still, that’s just the image you know, she’s probably quite weak on the inside. Remember all those things that Jon told us. Those don’t sound normal.”  
  
“Well yes, surely she has her baggage but then again, we all do. But keep in mind that Jon has been through quite the emotional abuse and it’s actually almost miraculous that he has opened his heart to someone. We should be supportive with him.”  
  
“So good cop, bad cop? I’d like to be the bad cop if anything goes wrong. I love intimidating people, you know that.”  
  
“Sure, you sick bastard. Be the bad cop but we shouldn’t break Jon’s heart by playing games either. Let’s keep his best interests in check and the rest should follow. Deal?”  
  
“Deal.”  
  
_After that, the conversation went back to Tormund, Arya’s non existing love life and so on. When she looked at Arya, Val could tell that now that Jon was in a relationship too, she probably felt the need for a companion in her life as well. The last of the Starks was okay being with the lone wolf, but she could see it in her eyes that; her needs would change soon enough. _  
  
  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are and at this point things do look like they have finally settled. Now unfortunately life isn't ever this smooth and we all know it. Before everything is perfected, the long is very often road and quite rocky to be honest.
> 
> On a personal note, stress can get very difficult for people to handle at times. So far we have witnessed that Jon has been able to handle it rather well, but Dany is a little bit more insecure. Now Dany gets better with it when she's backed up and encouraged in the right way, however with Jon, it's quite in the dark. Now the journey will take us towards Jon's experience under stress and how he tries to cope with it. I'm already writing the next chapter so I hope to post it soon enough!
> 
> Once again I'd like to thank you all for reading and commenting. It's such a joy to read the reactions for me and at the same time, it's a great motivational tool. As a long time reader here, I'm always excited to see updates from the stories I follow, so I'm sincerely hoping that this story, even though the audience is small, is creating the same effect!


	14. Struggle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a blur. All of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters within 24 hours, because I found some time and it's cold outside!

This campaign was a bitch. It wasn’t anything like Jon had done before. The tempo was at an all-time high, his phone was buzzing all the time, he was barely able to make any music during this clusterfuck shitstorm, but still it was moving along nicely. Davos Seaworth himself had called him the day before and said that he was pleased with how the things were moving along.  
  
There were minor protests on the streets. Especially in King’s Landing and Harrenhall, these protests were getting rather louder. Sure, there was no act of violence yet, but if these people weren’t taken seriously, violence and anarchy would soon follow, Jon knew that. If this fire hit the countryside, there was no coming back for Euron Greyjoy. The human in him didn’t want violence, but the pragmatist in him was okay with riots. At least then Davos could intervene and control the masses. He was a great talker for sure and he knew how to convince people. He had convinced Jon before and surely he was doing it again.  
  
Just when he noticed that he hadn’t been able to be in touch with his parents as much as he wanted to in the past 10 days, his mother called. They would try to speak daily, but Jon’s schedule would get so hectic at times, it was barely limited to a few text messages, telling each other that everything was fine and so on. He immediately dropped what he was doing and picked up the call.  
  
“ _Hey mom, how’s everything at the island? All good?”  
  
“Not really. Your father’s wound seems to be infected. We’re coming to King’s Landing in the afternoon. I know your schedule is like hell but I’m going to need your help tomorrow.”  
  
“Whatever you need. I’ll leave tomorrow’s work to the assistants. Forward me the details of the flight and I’ll have you picked from the airport.”  
  
“Jon, there’s no need, we can handle ourselves.”  
  
“No, now that I can actually have it done, I will. There will be a car and a driver waiting at the airport. Whether you want to go home or it’s straight to the hospital, that’s up to you.”  
  
“Well it’s better if we have him checked in already today. His doctor wants to have his wound cleaned tomorrow already.”  
  
“Very well, the hospital it is. I’ll meet you there once this pile of shit is gone from in front of me.”  
  
“Language Jon.”  
  
“Mom you know me, that’s impossible.”  
  
_His mom then chuckled. She indeed knew her son very well.  
  
“ _Of course I do. See you at the hospital then.”  
  
_ This wasn’t good. Knowing his father, he knew that he would fuzz about it, cause his mom to stress more and well, they were at the age where they shouldn’t be stressing so much about stuff. He knew his father’s condition was something easy to take care of for the doctors. He would just need to stay at the hospital for about a week after having the wound cleaned up in a small operation and they would help fix the situation with the proper antibiotics. Then he noticed that he had to arrange the business for tomorrow. He picked up his phone and called his assistant Gendry, told him that he was in charge tomorrow because he would be away on some personal business. This was something Jon liked about being in charge. He would make decisions and some of them were just put into motion without being questioned. This helped his plan making abilities a little bit more, because it provided comfort. Then he texted Dany to let her know about the situation.  
  
“ _So, my parents are coming to KL this afternoon. Apparently dad’s wound is infected and the doctor wants him under care at the hospital. A small operation will take place tomorrow so I’ll be absent a little. Don’t worry, this isn’t anything big or serious but I just need you to be there for me if I feel down. Could you do that for me? I really don’t want to get into a fight because I’m in a sour mood. Handle me for a day, that’s all.”  
  
_ ***  
  
She didn’t understand what the text meant. The day was busy as fuck anyway. She had to be in three places at once and tomorrow wasn’t going to be any different. Probably was going to be even worse. She thought if she acted neutral and normal, Jon would be fine on his own. He always was good at handling things. Then again he was probably being precautious about his mood swings. Dany knew that the campaign was killing him at the same time but luckily they got to spend the nights together at least twice a week. Before getting too lost in her thoughts, she quickly responded to Jon, asked if her help was necessary at all and then put the phone away to refocus on her work.  
  
Then a response came. It sort of made her feel special again. Even under heavy pressure, Jon knew how to make her feel special. Especially now when her self-esteem was again going lower because of not taking any medication and not seeing him enough. _  
_  
“ _I haven’t told anyone else about this because you are enough support for me.”  
  
_ This one sentence made her smile. Little did she know that she would be so passive that she wouldn’t be able to get anything done in the way she wanted. Not until things were again all covered in mud. Unknowingly, Dany tried to lose herself in her work, her family affairs and it was all a blur. Not being able to go to Jon was going to suck big time. He was her comfort, her only comfort still. The more they had to wait to expose Viserys, the more stressful it was becoming for her. Luckily Rhaegar was handling the situation rather calmly, so she was able to be away from everyone else’s eyesight. Still, she wanted this feeling to go away, the physical tiredness to end and the emotional struggle to be done with.  
  
When she had gone home, she had fallen asleep on the couch and had missed a text from Jon. When she woke up in the morning she had tried calling but his phone was off. Texting wouldn’t work at that point either, she knew it. The stress was unbearable for some reason. Her inner thoughts were betraying her; she was feeling that her movements were limited. “ _Fucking medicines, I hate what they have done to me now that I’m trying to get rid of them.”_ she thought to herself. The self-blame was at an all-time high. She was having a hard time forgiving herself for what she had done to herself, what she had done to Jon. Jon, her darling. He was so forgiving and understanding all the time. He had first lashed out at her, but then had accepted her again and was gentler than before. Then it came to her and she texted him about the surgery, but the messages weren’t delivered. “ _Of course.”_ she huffed. She had just tried calling him and his phone was off. Within that state of mind, she tried her best to quickly dress and leave. When a response from Jon had come, it was almost 2 pm and she had then noticed that she hadn’t eaten anything at all that day.  
  
She tried to gather her thoughts and ask as much as possible. “ _Stay serious and focused_.” her inner voice was telling her all the time. She was handling this right. She wasn’t going to disappoint Jon. She wasn’t going to cause any heartbreak to him. This was going to be fine. He was luckily responding in a calm manner, telling her that everything was under control. Then he just wrote the simplest of sentences, which for some reason felt very offensive to Dany.  
  
“ _I’m doing fine by the way. Thanks for asking.”  
  
_ She felt her blood boil. Why was this happening to her? He had just asked her to support him for one day. One fucking day. Why wasn’t she able to do this now? Why had she fucked up again? Her mind was racing, she couldn’t think straight and then she typed the sentence she would regret for weeks to come.  
  
“ _I’m sorry Jon, I couldn’t ask because I’ve been running around all day.”  
  
_ A part of her knew that he was going to be upset, but then another part of her couldn’t care whether he would react harshly or kindly at all. Her mind was suddenly loose and that entire blur had taken her away from everything.  
  
***  
  
He didn’t know how to respond to that. Texting wasn’t going to solve this problem because this was face to face stuff. Then again Jon wondered whether he had the time to go and see her at all today. He had to attend this gala for the new play, because now all the big dogs were going to be there. His presence was requested and there was no running away from all this.  
  
He put his suit on, attended the play but he was half asleep all the time. He had barely slept the night before, the day had been tiring enough and a small part of his mind was with Dany. He couldn’t understand her behavior one bit and that was troubling enough. Finally the play was over; it was time for some wine. He took a Dornish red and tried to look social and friendly enough. When approached by someone from Jon Arryn’s team of public relations, he vaguely mentioned that his father had a small operation and hence, he was sleep-deprived.  
  
Jaime came to his help at that moment and signaled to him that it was time to go. He and Elia had totally rescued him from that entire blur he was in and he was thankful. During the ride, he zoned out for a moment and then came back to his senses.  
  
“ _Take the road towards that drunk-diner near Dany’s place. I’m thinking of grabbing a wrap. You guys want anything?”  
  
_ They had also noticed how hungry they were once Jon brought it up. That was a good idea, plus they were really starving, since there was practically no real food served at the gala. Only little snacks and wine and Jon hated being hungry. He bought an extra wrap and then called Dany.  
 _  
_No answer.  
  
He gave it another try and still there was no answer. Then he decided to walk to her door and ring the bell. He didn’t know what possessed him at that moment. He must had been looking really weird, a guy in a suit, holding two wraps in his hand. Then Rhaella Targaryen opened the door and he froze for a moment.  
  
“ _Ms. Targaryen good evening, I’m Jon Snow. I’m sorry to disturb you at this hour but I had trouble reaching Daenerys. Can I please see her briefly and then take my leave? I don’t need to come inside. Here by the door will be enough.”  
  
_ Rhaella looked at him very carefully. He was well dressed and wasn’t drunk at all, so he thought he looked presentable. There was no explaining the wraps though. He felt stupid throughout that silence. Then she opened her mouth.

  
“ _Sure Jon. Let me go get her.”  
  
_ ***  
  
He was at her door.  
  
Her door.  
  
She hadn’t noticed the phone, for it was on silent. Everything had been a blur to her anyway. Her mom practically had dragged her to the door and then warned her in a very harsh way.  
  
“ _Now there’s a perfect gentleman with excellent manners, who actually was kind enough to even bring you your favorite wrap from the drunk-diner. You won’t be rude towards him whatsoever. And the next time, respond to your goddamn phone so I don’t have to be face to face with your boyfriend around 10 pm.”  
  
_ He looked perfect. He didn’t look upset or drunk. He was there to fix things apparently. To save her from that blur, which had taken over her.  
  
“ _Hi.”_  
  
“ _Hi yourself. Nom! You brought my favorite.”  
  
“Yeah, we were hungry coming back from the gala so, this was rather spontaneous. I’m actually here to ask you something else. Your text from earlier today… Does it have anything to do with you being off medication? Because it was very rude and not like you whatsoever.”  
  
“Uhm, I guess. Was I really rude? I didn’t think I was being rude.”  
  
“You kind of were. I mean were you going to sarcastically say that you were running around so you couldn’t come for me if I was in dire need of you?”  
  
“Aren’t you being a little bit dramatic here? I mean this isn’t like you at a---“  
  
“Answer the question please.”  
  
_He looked serious. She was disappointing him, she could tell. She wanted to apologize and hold him, but then she opened her mouth and something completely irrelevant came out.  
  
“ _I still don’t think I was rude towards you. Maybe you are being a little bit sensitive because of all this stress?”  
  
“Okay now you’re justifying your behavior and I didn’t come here to argue with you.”  
  
_There was a brief silence and then he continued.  
  
“ _Look I asked for your support about something only you knew about. I trusted you and only you with this information and you behaved weirdly. Then I took the whole medication situation into consideration and asked you about it and you responded even more weirdly. Did I do something to you unknowingly or do you really believe that your behavior was normal?”  
  
“No, I simply think you’re being over-dramatic now.”  
  
“Alright, I won’t push this further then. Here, enjoy your wrap. I should get going, just wanted to see you in between everything but maybe this wasn’t necessarily the right move. Good night!”  
  
“Jon wait…”  
  
_He stopped and turned. His expression maybe wasn’t the most pleasant but he didn’t look angry. She closed the distance between them but couldn’t find it in her to touch him at that moment.  
  
“ _I just want to make sure that we’re okay. We ARE okay, right?”  
  
“Yeah, we’re fine, no worries.”  
  
_***  
  
Jon’s behavior had changed once they were all back in the car. Jaime was trying to understand what was going on with his friend but couldn’t really figure it out at the first place. After a brief moment, it hit him. He probably argued with Dany and that was the reason for his brooding. Since Elia was also in the car, he thought that breaking the ice would be easy enough, so he asked him.  
  
“ _Everything alright?”  
  
“Yeah, I’m just thinking about stuff. A lot of stuff actually.”  
  
“Well, tell us then. If there’s anything we can do to help make better?”  
  
“Well no, not really. I need to handle these by myself. Thanks for the ride home, I appreciate it! I’ll work from home for a day or two maybe, so if something extremely important needs to be taken care of, leave it with Gendry.”  
  
“Alright, will do. Good night!”  
  
_With that he had left. The next time they would see him would be three days later and then he looked insanely tired, worn out and clearly suffering from lack of sleep. Without giving anyone to actually say anything to him, he went into the studio and locked it from the inside. Then noises started coming from there, so at least his mind was clear. It was obvious that he was working, so Jaime didn’t pay more attention to what was going on and started minding his own business.  
  
While he was reading through the texts they had to correct for Seaworth and his team, Gendry knocked on his door and brought in the stuff that Jon had left him in charge of. He was a tireless worker and Jon liked him enough. Plus he learned quickly and probably was one of those who would orbit Jon like crazy while he was working. “ _Good for the lad”_ Jaime thought to himself. He was only a few years younger than they were, but still, had struggled within the scene. Now that he had found something that suited him, he was giving his all.  
  
 _“Boss said that he’ll work on the clip’s theme in the studio and kicked everyone else out. You know all about this right? This means no recordings or rehearsals while he’s there and I practically don’t have the balls to go and tell him that he must leave the studio because there is something else that needs to be done.”  
  
_ Jaime laughed at the man’s bluntness and waived him off. “ _It’s fine”_ he told him. “ _Jon should be allowed to do as he pleases on that matter. That’s the most important thing we have in our hands now so best not disturb him for the time being. He’ll let us know when he’s done.”  
  
_ ***  
  
Four days. It had been four days now that he hadn’t called or texted. Dany couldn’t believe this was happening. What had gotten into her and what had gotten into him? He had said that they were good and then he had left, only to never call or send a text. When she had tried to reach him, his phone was off, the messages were only sent but never delivered. This was taking over her mind and she was really troubled.  
  
She was a little scared to go to his place because her parents were there. She didn’t want them to argue around his office either and she didn’t know how to handle the situation at all. The crisis was getting bigger and she wasn’t sure whether this was her fault or not. Then she decided to read the conversation again and take the subject to her friends.  
  
“ _OF COURSE HE WAS UPSET YOU STUPID DWARF.”_ Irri had typed to their group. She was blunter than ever now that they were on good terms again. She appreciated how Jon had pushed her to make amends with her so, more and more she started being on team Jon, when it came to decisions.  
  
“ _Are you sure that you’re on my side here? Because it looks like you’re criticizing me more than necessary here.”  
  
“No, I’m not on your side, idiot. You’re being insensitive and stupid. Clearly you have zero empathy for the situation. He had an important thing, he specifically asked you for your support and you gave him shit when he asked for it. Call and apologize IMMEDIATELY.”  
  
“His phone is off.”  
  
“Well didn’t you say that he was now involved with important people who play politics? Probably he has meetings with them. Go to his office to visit him. Don’t chicken out. Go and face him and make this right. Clearly he’s waiting for you to fix this because he doesn’t want to hurt your feelings by saying something harsh.”  
  
“Alright, I’ll definitely visit tomorrow. Tonight it’s family dinner and so on. Cannot leave dad hanging.”  
  
“Of course, family first but if I find out that you didn’t visit his office tomorrow, I’m so kicking your ass.”  
  
“Alright alright, I’ll do it, I promised already.”  
  
_***  
  
His mind was racing. Note after note, phrase after phrase, and chord after chord. Different colors, different instruments, different sounds. He was feeling like the investigator from the Expanse series. He was reaching out, trying to connect and when it failed, he killed it and restarted. The melody was there, the color was there, the chords were there but for some reason he wasn’t successfully bringing them together. He just wasn’t able to do it somehow. It bothered him and it bothered him way too much.  
  
The stress was too much. Trying to keep his mask on was way too much. His father’s condition and his mother’s helplessness was too much. He was deep down in politics and he was drowning. Sure, Davos Seaworth and his people were nice to him but he had a deadline and it was approaching. He had to put the final nail in the coffin and then all would be well. He would get the fattest of paychecks and once Davos Seaworth was elected president, he could leave everything behind and either move to the countryside with Dany or to their dream house in Valyria.  
  
Dany. She had acted weirdly and Jon knew that it had to be about the stopping of the medication. It hadn’t felt right anyway. It was a moment of weakness he had shown her and she had mocked him about it. Not only her behavior was rude, it was also quite disturbing. But at that point he couldn’t think about Dany at all. He had given her the time and space she had desired and pushed himself to work.  
  
So he reached out again. Attempt after attempt after attempt. He didn’t know how much time had passed. He was going all out with this project and everything had to be done in full detail. He was more concentrated than ever, working on it as if this was to be an award winning soundtrack. This was going to be his big break, he knew that. Everyone knew that, everyone had told him that his big break was coming soon enough, it was on the horizon and he would blow people’s minds all around the world. He knew this to be true and he trusted himself.  
  
So he reached out once more. Tried again, then again and finally it clicked. He knew now that he was on the right track. One more step, then another and then another. He had been composing for fifteen years now but this was the most joy he was having out of it. His mind was blown by what he was doing. He was so enjoying it that time had stopped for him. This tune was all Davos needed. It was epic in the sense of the Northerners, but almost like a lament of the Essosi at the same time. It was funny to him, how those cultures intersected with music, for music was universal. Satisfied with his sketch, he started building on it. First came the development line and then the short B section he had designed. Finally from there he would build on the theme with a never ending crescendo. He had studied such approach very well. It was minimalistic but not at the same time. It was unique, he knew it and soon the world would know it.  
  
The studio was completely isolated from the outer world. There were no windows at all and usually Jon wouldn’t necessarily spend so much time inside. He was mainly out with the computers right outside the studio. He was so focused that he hadn’t felt the lack of air in the studio one bit. He wasn’t going to open the doors and distract himself, now that he was so close to finishing this all.  
  
He checked things once more and then once more. Played it over and over and over until it made complete sense to him. Rechecked it until he couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Made adjustments with it until everything was perfect in his ears. Then he tried it with the headphones, later he gave the sound to the speakers, followed different groups of instruments with each take. It was finally looking like something. No, it was looking good. It looked like the future. This was his future. Not just his actually, but the whole country’s future to be specific. This was to be his ultimate nail in the coffin and if everything went right, and he would never have to do work for someone stupid with money, ever again. Hope had taken over him and now he was overjoyed. His mind was in a cluster of stars and he was bouncing from system to system, floating in nebulas known for their beautiful sight, but at the same time he felt like he was breathing in some poisonous gas. He was getting tired, he had started to notice. When was the last time he had slept? Or ate? He couldn’t even remember when was the last time he cried? He had been under so much stress and burden for months now. It had started in that studio, that crazy run of his. How ironic would it be for it all to end here? A circle complete. Everything coming full circle. Whatever the fuck people would call it, he couldn’t care anymore. He listened to it once more, then once more and then once more again. He felt the rush within him first rise to an all-time high and then felt it diminish ever so suddenly. He was done. He saved the project, turned off all the equipment and unlocked the door. Jaime, Elia, Gendry and the rest of the working crew looked at him like they had seen a ghost.  
  
“ _The fucker’s done.”_ he was barely able to say.  
  
And then he collapsed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...
> 
> And here's the music for the music lovers. This particular piece of music is practically the reason that this story is written. I hope whoever is reading can relate to how this music has shaped up the ups and downs and the continuous build up of this story.
> 
> https://soundcloud.com/firat-aktav/mirai
> 
> Once again, thank you all for reading and commenting!


	15. Burnout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The smoke clears.

There were riots on the streets. Oberyn was watching everything from the screens in front of him. He thought of the cliché moments in the movies where someone would watch the riots from his window. Luckily enough, nobody gave a shit about the ministry of state and foreign affairs. Even if they did, the security was rock solid so they would be fine. It was sometimes very tiring to play this game. He was okay with the people who he worked with because they mostly had similar lifestyles and ideas. The higher-ups however, were a different case. A bunch of incompetent assholes who knew nothing about their job and only were there because they were good ass-kissers. This wasn’t going to change overnight when Seaworth came to power, but gradually it would be fixed. Oberyn had faith in the man and the people too. Then his office phone rang.  
  
“ _Sir, it’s your brother in law. He told me that he couldn’t reach your cell. Shall I connect him to your line?”  
  
“Yes please.”  
  
_Jaime sounded incredibly anxious. Almost in panic mode and Jaime never panicked.  
  
“ _Use your words Jaime, what is it, what is wrong?”  
  
“It’s Jon. Apparently he had been working in the studio since yesterday afternoon. He looked like shit when he entered the office and never talked to anyone. He had gone straight to the studio so we didn’t disturb him, you know how upset he gets when someone does that.”  
  
“Yeah but, to the point quickly?”  
  
“He just got out of the studio like maybe 10 minutes ago and we saw him collapse. We’re taking him to Baelor Central. It would be nice if you came. We won’t be able to handle this on our own and Elia is really panicking already.”  
  
“I’ll be on my way. Have you called Arya and Val?”  
  
“They just took the train from Harrenhall. Two hours maximum for their arrival.”  
  
“Alright, see you there.”  
  
_With that, he took his coat and stormed off. He had to be there for his friend.  
  
***  
  
Elia was in full panic mode when they entered the hospital. Jaime had quickly made sure that the medics put Jon to a stretcher and he was rushed inside. They would take care of him here, she knew it but she was panicking anyway. Ever the source of comfort lurking in the shadows was now exposed and in pain. Elia’s heart went out for her friend. Their friend. Part of their core gang. She felt anxious, sad and mad at the same time. Just when she thought she was about to cry, her brother showed up and held her. “ _It’s going to be okay. Jon’s strong, he’ll manage.”_ he whispered to her ear. Elia wanted to believe her brother but the panic wasn’t going away. “ _He looked awfully worn out when we put him to the car.”_ she said to her brother. He looked at her with sad eyes. Clearly there was discomfort in them but he was maintaining his composure. “ _Jon wouldn’t want you to let go of yourself now.”_ He muttered to her and held her again. Her brother was strong. They would figure a way out, once they knew what was wrong with Jon. Then Jaime came with the doctor and finally they could get some explanations.  
  
“ _My name is Dr. Luwin. I’ll be responsible from Mr. Snow for the time being. We ran quick tests with him and his blood values were rather low. Clearly he hadn’t eaten in a few days and definitely he hadn’t slept in a while now. He has collapsed from exhaustion or burnout as you young people call it nowadays. He will be fine, but he’ll need to rest and stay away from stress for a while. We will move him to a room on the 3 rd floor so you can stay with your friend while he rests.”  
  
_They muttered thanks to the doctor, while Jaime and Oberyn looked at each other. Staying away from stress? That wasn’t going to be possible. They three were in probably the most stressful thing together. They woke up to stress, ate and drank to stress and slept to stress. It wouldn’t ease up until the elections, Elia knew it and it made her feel stressed too.  
  
Once they were in the room, Jaime looked calmer and more composed. Oberyn had got rid of his suit jacket and now was only in his shirt with his tie loosened. She had to admit that the room had a more calming effect than actually waiting in front of the ER. Then the door opened and finally Val and Arya barged in. Arya’s eyes were darker than she had ever seen them, while Val was trying to maintain her composure. She hugged both of them and then Oberyn briefed the girls about his situation. Val was complaining about how careless Jon was with his schedules but then Arya, being the skeptic she is, turned to Oberyn and Jaime and asked them.  
  
“ _Has something been bothering him for a while? He had gone completely underground for the past few days. Seriously, if anything is wrong with him, you people would know. Please tell me now or I’m going to question every fucking person that he’s had contact with for the past week.”  
  
_Elia looked at her husband. He was scratching his head and thinking deeply. Then apparently he figured what was up. He turned back to them and started explaining.  
  
“ _It was the night of the gala, we went for wraps from the drunk-diner and he bought an extra for Dany, who lives like two blocks away. While we were sitting there and eating, he went to her place but when he came back he was all brooding and serious. When we asked him what was wrong he said that his mind was full and stuff and didn’t ask for our help. He then didn’t show up at work for 3 days and when he came, he was worn out. I still can’t take it out of my mind, the moment he collapsed. The doctor said it was due to exhaustion and stress but I just fucking hope that he wakes up soon enough so we can ask him.”  
  
_Arya’s fists were balled and she was turning circles inside that small room. “ _I’m gonna kill her.”_ she was muttering constantly. Then Oberyn stopped her and said to her very clearly.  
  
“ _Nobody’s killing anyone. Daenerys Targaryen is innocent for all we know. What Jaime tried to figure out leads only to speculation. We need a clear head here. There must be more behind this. By the way, does Daenerys know that he’s here? Somebody should let her know; after all she’s his girlfriend.”  
  
_***  
  
This was the first time that Dany was coming to his office on her own. She still knew how the place was and where to find him anyway. The secretary by the door knew who she was so she would just guide her downstairs to Jon’s office or the studio, wherever he was working at that moment. When she entered, she noticed that the secretary’s desk was empty and the place was rather quiet. Usually there were either rehearsals or recordings taking place downstairs and most often younglings who were preparing for the conservatory exams would be around, giggling like idiots. This time was different. None of those were around and it was almost like the place was dead. Still, she heard someone cursing downstairs though it didn’t sound like Jon.  
  
“ _Fucking piece of shit. Why did this have to happen today now with the deadline approaching? Oh boss, please be okay. We cannot fuck this up now that we’re so close.”  
  
_Dany couldn’t really understand what was happening. She didn’t know this man who was in there. The people who worked for Jon knew who she was but she would often forget their names or what they even looked like. She finally decided to intervene and clear her throat. The cursing suddenly stopped and this young man with raven hair and blue eyes, turned to her.  
  
“ _OH MS. TARGARYEN I’M SO SORRY YOU HEARD ALL OF THOSE CURSES, I REALLY AM_.”  
  
Dany was amazed how the man had panicked but waived him off. “ _Is something wrong?”_ she asked him. He clearly looked uncomfortable and a little stressed. He almost couldn’t brought himself together to speak so Dany decided to encourage him a little.  
  
“ _Come on now. I don’t bite if you speak.”  
  
_He chuckled at the remark and scratched his head.  
  
“ _You sounded very much like boss with that remark. Clearly visible why he likes you.”  
  
“You still haven’t answered the question.”  
  
“Oh yeah, right, I’m sorry. Boss was working really hard at the studio since yesterday afternoon. We didn’t notice that he stayed here overnight and we only found out that he was here when he came out from the room like maybe 2-3 hours ago? He looked very much worn out and tired and then he fainted. So Mr. Lannister took him to the hospital.”  
  
“WHICH HOSPITAL? YOU’RE TELLING ME THAT JON’S IN THE HOSPITAL NOW?”  
  
“Baelor Central. I mean I thought you already knew and were here to collect something. I was hoping to get some info from you to be honest.”  
  
“Like hell you will…”  
  
_And then she stormed off. What in the fuck was happening to Jon, she was trying to understand. She found herself mumbling throughout the ride. She needed him to be fine, needed him to be healthy and well. She wouldn’t forgive herself if she was the reason that this had happened. Sure he was under stress a lot, but what if she was the one who triggered this thing? And what was with fainting? Jon was probably the healthiest man around, long working days would never harm or tire him and he would always be in such a nice mood after some sleep. She couldn’t get to the hospital sooner.  
  
She quickly learned that he was in the third floor and rushed there. Once she got to the floor, she noticed his friends were all in front of the room. The doctor and the assistants were just leaving from his room. She quickened her steps towards them and suddenly Arya Stark noticed her and within a mere second she was by her throat.  
  
“ _OH YOU GOT SOME NERVE COMING HERE. ARE YOU AWARE WHAT YOU’VE CAUSED AGAIN? I’LL RIP YOU APART I SWEAR.”  
  
_Dany was in shock. She couldn’t understand what was happening and Arya was really strong. She really could rip her apart but then Jaime intervened and pulled her away. Val was looking at her with sad eyes. Elia’s face was blank and then Oberyn approached to her and took her a little farther away from all that chaos. She could still hear Arya shouting from a distance and still couldn’t understand why she was so pissed at her. Then Oberyn filled her in and asked if she knew more but she didn’t. They needed Jon to wake up to fill them in. Then again she heard Arya’s voice. This time she was only cursing but not screaming. There were maybe five meters between them and she was looking straight at her and looked like she would murder her. Oberyn once again intervened and tried to calm her down but seemingly it wasn’t working. Then they heard Jon’s voice from inside the room.  
  
“ _SHUT THE FUCK UP.”_  
  
It was all silent.  
  
***  
  
His head was killing him. He definitely had fever because he felt cold. Jon never felt cold in his life but he was actually almost shaking from the cold. He tried to get up from his bed but the world weighed like a million pounds on his shoulders. He still managed to get to the door and told her friends to come in. Even Dany was there and he could tell they all were worried.  
  
Once they were all inside, Oberyn closed the door and he lay back to his bed. Dany had tried to approach the bed but Jon stopped her. Just when Arya was about to open her mouth, he silenced her with a look too.  
  
“ _I haven’t eaten or slept properly in the last three days.”_ he started. “ _And before that I was living on beer.”_ he continued. At that point they all looked like they wanted to murder him but it was okay. They were his friends and his girlfriend was here too so now it was fine. He signaled for Dany to approach towards him and she held her hand. She was crying, he noticed but first he had to explain everything and kick the rest of the people out before talking with her.  
  
“ _It wasn’t her fault. Yes Arya, I’m telling this to you specifically. This was more my fault. I crumbled under the pressure. My father’s wound was infected so they had a small operation done there. That started the first few sleepless nights. Then came the gala stress. Afterwards it was the stress at home. I had to have a mask on all the time because it was way too much. When I arrived at the studio, I was already awake for maybe 30 hours. I was physically tired and worn out. Only Dany knew about the operation and she wasn’t at the right place at that point because she couldn’t be. So I don’t want any of you to blame her at all for this. I’ll talk with each one of you separately but I seriously need to be alone with my girlfriend right now.  
  
_***  
  
When everyone was out, tears freely rolled down from Dany’s eyes. She couldn’t stop crying at that point. She wouldn’t be able to. “ _It’s okay now.”_ Jon said to her. It should have been the other way around. She should have been the one comforting him but instead he was there, staying strong. Then he opened his mouth.  
  
“ _I wanted to give you some time and space so you could make up your mind. I wasn’t mad at you and I want you to know it. Still I will give you time and space; in any case I’ll need to physically heal now before the annual ball. Before you interrupt, yes I will attend, I gave you my word. But I want you to know that we are okay. It may not look or feel like that at this point but we are. I think this small period of absence and a little bit of distance will be fine for you. Apparently you don’t understand how important this relationship is for you unless you fear losing it. You have until the end of the year to figure everything out for you and for us. By the first of January, I will know whether you are walking this path with me, fully committed or whether you will decide to leave me. I will respect both decisions and oblige. What I cannot and will not handle however, is your absence while you’re still with me. So take your time, make up your mind and let me know when the time comes. Until then it’s up to you to contact me and we’ll handle the professional part of the stuff with Rhaegar from now on.”  
  
_She was speechless. This wasn’t a break up talk but it certainly was a big warning. He had practically told her that it was stay or go time. She hadn’t let his hand go and he still had a warm smile on his face. When he noticed she wasn’t able to say anything, he continued.  
  
“ _Look Dany, I’ve done my part in this relationship. You made it clear to me that you felt that you did your part too. Told me that I was overdramatic because I showed you one weakness. That isn’t fair unfortunately. You cannot expect me to carry you through shit but kick me into the mud once I slip. No, this isn’t right. Sure I love you still and I will love you no matter what, but that doesn’t mean that I’m stupid. As I said; make up your mind and I’ll see you on the 23 rd. Please don’t worry about that night, because I will be the perfect boyfriend, that I promise.  
  
_How was she going to cope with this, she didn’t know. This was a big ultimatum. Her final warning. Her final opportunity to own this relationship. The fear kicked in again but she was determined to not to let go now. She opened the door, let his friends inside and left. It was raining so she cried under the rain for a while and went home to cry some more before she finally was taken by exhaustion and fell asleep.  
  
***  
  
Val was more than concerned so she had called Tormund to hop on the train and come down to King’s Landing. He was more than happy to do so, since he liked Jon a lot. He was advised to rest a lot by the doctors and he was to stay away from stress. At least Tormund was making sure of that. They were constantly talking about basketball, music and some quality art. It was making Tormund feel useful and Val was happy that she could help her friend in some manner.  
  
Then the doors opened and the huge man who brought Arya to her flat in Harrenhall walked in, followed by the presidential candidate, Davos Seaworth. She felt the urge to stand up, for someone important was in the room but Seaworth told her to not to bother. He pulled a chair by Jon’s bed and sat down. “ _Good to see ya son. I’m glad you’re doing better.”_ he said to him in a cheerful voice. It was amazing for Val that a politician took the time to visit his campaign manager. Jon asked Davos whether he wanted time alone with him but he waived him off.  
  
“ _I’m not here for work. Just dropped by to see how you were doing. I’m told you’ll be able to be back after New Year’s? It’s good that you’ll have lots of recovery time ahead, especially now that the Christmas holidays are approaching and there is the New Year’s too. By the way, I listened to the music you sent me. INCREDIBLE stuff, seriously. I cannot wait for you guys to finish the editing so we can see the whole thing. Just wanted to say that we all are extremely pleased and really looking forward to see the final product.”  
  
_When he was leaving, Jon attempted to get off the bed but Seaworth made sure he didn’t. He said good day to each one of them and left the room. There was a small exchange of looks between that giant of a man and Tormund, who looked quite taken by how big the guy was. She then couldn’t help to ask Jon, who that brute was.  
  
“ _Oh him? He’s Sandor Clegane, the best fist-fighter in the country. Probably the bluntest guy you’ll find around and Davos keeps him in his security for that reason. He sometimes switches to Arryn’s security, depending on the travel plans.”  
  
_Tormund had really listened to that part with interest and then had left for the bathroom. Val took the seat that Davos just left from. She squeezed Jon’s hand and decided that it was time to talk.  
  
“ _Jon, with your permission I want to go and talk with Dany. Tell her girl to girl, what she has done right and what she has done wrong. To help her open her eyes because I can tell that she’s really in love with you but when it comes to execution, she just gets stuck with some detail and can’t get the job done. Somebody will need to push her to the finish line and I want to be that person.”  
  
“I’m okay with that but do you think she’d like to meet up with you after Arya’s behavior?”  
  
“Don’t worry; I’m the good cop here. I promise.”  
  
“Alright then. Let me know how that turns out.”  
  
_***  
  
A call from Val was the last thing she expected. They were to meet up for a beer near her place. Val knew King’s Landing well enough for a Harrenhall resident. She was there on time luckily and really was wondering what she had to do with this meeting anyway. She didn’t know whether this would help her at all but firstly she knew that she had to listen to her speak about things.  
  
Val didn’t waste much time getting into the serious stuff. The chit chat was rather short, a little bit of business talk, she had said to her that she admired her sense of aesthetics and had been a big admirer of her since Jon’s birthday party. But then came the hard, brutal truth.  
  
“ _Dany I want you to know that I mean you no harm. I think you are a good person and I’m aware that you are in love with Jon. Probably you are having difficulties to understand why he behaved the way he behaved and I can understand that. I’ve known Jon for ten years and sometimes when everything seems perfect, he can get upset about something because he specifically asked you about it. He’s a man of clarity and he wants results. When he told me that you guys were finally back together, I was so happy for him, because I did my best to encourage him to fight for you and this relationship.”  
  
_Dany had a hard time believing her ears. She was expecting more of an Arya Stark approach. A violent onslaught with insult after insult, some threats and heavy glowering. Val was rather soft with her tone but still very direct with her approach. This was going to be an interesting conversation after all. So she urged her to continue and Val talked.  
  
“ _He’s a man who never lets his guard down. Always aware, ever the fighter. He always pushes it till the end, sometimes even annoyingly so, but that’s how he is. He is determined to fight for you, so don’t think that he’s giving up on you at all.”  
  
“But he made it very clear to me that I’m either with him or a nobody to him once this year ends. I don’t understand that.”  
  
“Because you don’t want to admit it but his absence is killing you and he’s aware of it. He’s pushing you to accept this. That you are great for each other and no matter how much stress you both are under, when you are together, everything comes easy to you.”  
  
“Yes, that I have noticed. He’s helped me so much with developing into a better person. He gives me confidence, all the boost I need actually. With him I’m more positive, the negative stuff doesn’t linger and I wish I could just fly away from all the responsibility with him and you know, just be with him and only with him for a while.”  
  
“Then be with him Dany. You want to and he wants it too. So just do it. Don’t overthink it, don’t over-analyze it. Just follow your heart. You know what he told me when Tormund had dumped me for the umpteenth time but I was determined to get him back? While everyone else told me that I should cut it loose now and never look back again, he told me that if Tormund was my passion, I should pursue it. He understands love Dany. He might look cold at times, or calculating even but come on, he’s an artist and he has a wonderful way of expressing himself without words. So now I’m only passing on the words that he told me years ago. Follow your passion and follow your heart. You will see that it comes much easier when you do that with him.”  
  
_There was a brief silence. Val’s speech was so passionate that her eyes were tearing up, Dany could tell that. Val herself was also in a similar mood. “ _Gods, she really believes in us.”_ Dany recognized at that moment and squeezed her hand.  
  
“ _I will heed your advice and I want us to be good friends in the future. I hoped that I would be good friends with Arya too, since I can tell that Jon holds her in high esteem but I guess that’s beyond repair now that she thinks of me as the person who’s constantly harming Jon.”  
  
“Näh, I wouldn’t think that. For all I know, Arya likes you and that’s why she got so mad. Plus, Jon is very important for her. Now you don’t know this and nobody can know that this came from me but they go way back. Arya’s father was assassinated in King’s Landing and she fled to Braavos. That was when they met, Jon was only a first year student there and he took her in, kept her safe and made sure she survived. That’s why Arya loves him dearly and will kill for him if necessary.”  
  
“I had no idea…”  
  
“They don’t talk about it in public. Sure, all these people who hang out with them on a regular basis know that. There was even a confusion for a while because both Arya and Jon’s mother share the same surname but they are not related at all. She had even posed as Jon’s sister to avoid being caught, when Lyanna was visiting them in Braavos.”  
  
“Wow. That’s some real intense shit. No wonder why Jon cares about her so much. And to think that I was jealous of her at one point. Mmph, I hate myself again.”  
  
“No Dany, don’t. You are a wonderful person and I’m sure of it because Jon has seen you for who you are. Other people will also come to see you as who you are. So don’t panic and let him heal. Once this ball of yours is done with, claim him like the wildlings of the old. That’s the spirit!”  
  
_Dany had found herself laughing at the final sentence. Val was really passionate and she had been very helpful. This turned out to be a better evening than she had expected. They hugged and parted ways, because Val would return to Harrenhal with Tormund. She wanted to drop by the hospital and see Jon but knew she couldn’t because that meant coming face to face with Arya and she wasn’t ready for it yet. So she went home. Before going to bed, she sent Jon a text.  
  
_“I want you to know that I want to be with you and I will show you how much. Heal yourself first and then we’ll heal together. I promise you.”  
  
_Sleep took her before she could actually expect a reply from Jon. She was insanely tired, but for once deep in her heart, Dany had admitted to herself how much she was in love and how much she wanted Jon.  
  
***  
  
Jon was finally going home. The final day had pretty much passed with him cursing throughout the whole time. Arya had been giggling like a little girl every time he was cursing and Jon had started to find it amusing.  
  
“ _So, she sent you a message like that right after going out with Val? Apparently she worked wonders on her.”  
  
“Dunno, didn’t ask Val about the details yet. She only told me that it was a very productive evening. In any case, I’m so lost in these relationship issues Arya. Time flew by when I was recovering and I am to enter the lion’s den on Monday. All the Tyrells will be there for sure and I seriously need to keep Dany from ripping that whore Doreah apart. Plus I need to meet Aerys Targaryen as well and that will be the first time he sees me. I need to play everything right so that when I go home with Dany, everyone should be aware of who has the power.”  
  
“Oh, you said when, not if. So you are determined to continue.”  
  
“Just say what you have in mind, I won’t kill you for that.”  
  
“Oh I don’t know, I actually kinda like her. We had agreed to play good cop-bad cop with Val and Dany gave us the perfect opportunity for it.”  
  
“Well, fuck you too in that case. Neither of you absolutely has no right to interfere with my business and I’ll kick your ass for it when the time comes. But enough now, let’s get the fuck out of here and let’s go home.”  
  
“By the way, this guy, Gendry… He looks kinda hot. I noticed him when he brought you the stuff that you were supposed to sign.”  
  
“I’m not going to encourage you to hump my assistant for fuck’s sake. Do it somewhere I can’t see please. I’m really, really not interested in knowing about it unless it’s serious but sure, he’s a great guy. I should have seen this coming.”  
  
“Yeah, you should have…”  
  
_***  
  
_“Oh, so Dany is in love with this guy I see. Do we get to meet him on the annual ball? I’m certainly curious.”  
  
“Yes papa, Dany invited him and he said yes. Mom has met him briefly and I had dinner with him the week before. You’ll like him. Your kind of guy.”  
  
“What do you mean by my kind of guy?”  
  
“You know, Wolves fan, has voted for Seaworth, now is leading his campaign, good friends with the Martell family and his business partner is Lannister Jr.”  
  
“Oh those are good for starters. Still I would like to see how he is with her. Is he gentle enough, is he kind enough, caring enough. Those are more important. I want neither Dany, nor us to experience another Drogo situation. Not on my watch.”  
  
“No papa, he’s good. Nothing like Drogo. He’s an artist anyway, so he knows how to carry himself.”  
  
_Rhaella Targaryen was certainly enjoying this conversation between father and son. Finally they had come to the agreement that they would unite for Dany’s wellbeing and if it meant that Jon Snow was going to be a part of this family for that, then so be it. Good thing was that Aerys hadn’t reacted badly. Now they had one more day before he came face to face with the boy. This was shaping up rather nicely. Rhaegar’s marriage had stayed intact, Dany had finally found the love of her life, who was actually good enough for their family standards and finally the family company would be safe, once Viserys was ousted. Surely her husband wanted to meet Jon Snow to not to just get a measure of him, but also see how he would make his moves to get rid of the trash.  
  
After years of struggle, it was going to be fun to take a seat back, relax and watch the game. She was looking forward to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Jon has reached his limit. A person can only have so much patience and will as we all know. Luckily however, Dany really gets the sense beaten into her by Val, maybe just in time.
> 
> Apart from that, I hope the multiple povs are rather helpful in enriching the storyline. Next chapter will mainly be Jon and Dany, with an exception of one Oberyn pov in between. It's also going to be the longest of all chapters so far.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this one! Please let me know if you spotted any errors. I'll be happy to fix them as soon as possible!


	16. Safety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The annual ball finally arrives!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small warning; because this chapter contains verbal abuse.

Dany hated wearing high heels and fancy dresses. They were uncomfortable, they made her back hurt and her feet would always kill her by the end of the night. Still, she would need to endure it tonight because she wanted to be at her absolute best. She was going to hold her liquor, make small talk with kiss-ass strangers who would suck-up for business opportunities, finally and formally introduce Jon to her parents and hopefully go spend the night with him. She missed him, missed his touch, missed his comfort and really missed waking up on his shoulder. Tonight was going to be her chance. Jon was definitely going to have his game face on and that was a big turn on for her already, as if she needed to be turned on more. Still, it was going to be great to test his limits under such circumstances and she was looking forward to it.  
  
This was going to be her father’s first time going out after the heart attack. Sure he had left the house, had been to the doctor’s, some small family gatherings and stuff but this was the first real event he would be attending in almost eight months. She was filled with joy to notice the excitement in his eyes. She was still scared to tell that she had a boyfriend because she felt that she and Jon were on thin ice, but had let him know that she wasn’t attending the evening alone. Her father, who was quite strict about the men around Dany, had just smiled and told her that he was looking forward to meet him.  
  
Jon was to pick her up for the event and she was ready just in time. Her parents had decided that they wouldn’t interact with Jon during this. She thought that they were being weird about this situation but then her mother had told her that it would feel like smothering the man and they weren’t going to do it in their flat. She had huffed and agreed, because this was something she wanted to be done and through. She didn’t want to stress about it so she could only focus showing Jon how much she was in this with him. His ultimatum had worked, but the better help had come from the conversation she had with Val. Also Dany was strangely motivated by Arya’s behavior towards her. She wanted to show everyone that Jon meant the world to her and Arya Stark could shove it if she didn’t approve.   
  
Just when she was getting lost in her thoughts, the doorbell rang. Rhaegar was to get the door so she shouted at him to do that. Luckily he wasn’t as slow as he always was. He had opened the door and they were already chit-chatting with Jon when she made her way to the entrance of the flat. Jon looked stunning in his tailored suit and she was barely able to take her eyes away from him. Dany hated the fact that she behaved like a lost little girl with him in times like these. All she wanted to do was to actually tell the driver to go to his place and have her way with him for the night but no, it was duty first and Jon’s face showed it. He held her hand and held the door for her while she got into the car and then hopped in himself. His cologne was different, she noticed. Maybe this one was for the special occasions? It was almost a classic, but it smelled so good on him. Carefully enough, she nuzzled his neck and gave him a kiss, almost fearing the reaction. He didn’t turn to her but squeezed her hand. He was distant and this was troubling Dany.  
  
“ _Are you going to keep giving me a cold shoulder until the New Year’s? I remember you saying to me that you’d be the perfect boyfriend today. This isn’t perfect you know.”  
  
_ Only then he slowly turned to her with a smile on his face. His game-face was on already and it looked like he was really trying to focus. He leaned into her ear and slowly whispered to her ear.  
  
“ _I could ravish you right here, but we first need to survive this night. Once it ends, I might still do that.”  
  
_ He was being totally evil. Dany hated that he got a reaction out of her by just mentioning a possibility. Still she needed to get something out of him so she moved closer to him. Then with her most dramatic voice she said “ _Fine but I need you to kiss me and kiss me hard, otherwise I might not even make it to the venue.”_ and pretended to faint. Jon laughed at the gesture and held her from her waist and kissed her. She thought it would be just for once but he kept holding her throughout the ride and kissed her occasionally. The feeling of safety was present in her once again.  
  
***  
  
Her dress and behavior was going to make it difficult to concentrate. She was deliberately doing this, he was aware. She had seen his hand and now was making her move. That made him rather happy inside but there was no time for that now. He couldn’t let his dick making decisions for him at that point. He needed to focus so he decided to hold her throughout the ride to the venue. Once he noticed that she relaxed into his arm, he decided to make his point.  
  
“ _You know that whore is going to be there right? We need to make sure that there will be no insults, no hitting below the belt, absolutely nothing until we deliver the blow. She and the rest of them should feel secure, welcome and wanted there. Viserys will suck up to them anyway so you shouldn’t have a hard time pretending. He’ll do most of the work for us unknowingly. Meanwhile I need you to just keep your composure and introduce me around. Are we clear with these?”  
  
“Absolutely. Although don’t you think it would be fun to, you know, just throw a glass of Dornish to her face and make a mess of her?”  
  
“It would be a waste of that Dornish. If it were piss you were talking about, then I would have agreed.”  
  
_That was a good ice-breaker. They were both chuckling and relieved. It felt safe before entering the lion’s den. The event would have already started when they were, because Viserys was the main host this time and the rest of the Targaryen family had just taken a step back and let him knock himself out. That much Dany had told him before the whole health issues had kicked in. Dr. Luwin had advised that he stayed away from alcohol for a while, but at this point it was a clear no. There was no way in hell that he would go through with this event sober so he figured he’d stick with scotch. Then he could take his time with his first glass and maybe have the second if it was so necessary.  
  
 _“NO MORE OF THAT DORNISH HORSEPISS.”_ Randyll Tarly boomed as they entered the main hall. It was maybe overdone for Jon’s taste, but surely decorated and prepared well. In any case the environment didn’t matter, but the people in it did. Randyll Tarly paid them little mind as they passed by. He just gave both of them a curt nod and went back to telling the sommelier how and why Arbor Gold was what he needed. “ _Jackass.”_ Dany had said to his ear and Jon almost burst out laughing. Jon grabbed each of them a glass of Scotch, lucky to find his choice of _Mormont 21_. Bear Island was famous for the smoky flavor of their whiskey and both of them loved it. It would relax them a little and since they had to sip it rather slowly, it would help both of them to hold their liquor. Then Dany saw Doreah and held onto Jon’s arm like it was the last thing left on the face of the planet. Noticing this, Jon pecked her in the cheek and encouraged her to move towards where Doreah was. This was going to be fun now.  
  
“ _Come on princess, let’s screw this whore turned lady.”  
  
_ ***  
  
As the newest business partners of the Targaryen Company, the entire Martell family were natural guests. Oberyn was keen on observing the environment first and then he would engage in conversations. Curt nod after curt nod, he made his way towards the rest of his family. His parents were chatting with Rhaella Targaryen, while Aerys Targaryen was nowhere to be seen. It seemed all funny to him somehow that his family and the Targaryens had known each other for so long but he himself had never engaged with them, not until his best friend had started dating the youngest Targaryen in the business. He checked around to see Randyll Tarly still engaging with the sommelier, Petyr Baelish swarming around from table to table with the ugly goatee of his. The Tyrells looked extra uncomfortable with Jon and Daenerys pressing them into a corner. Jon looked like he was making Willas Tyrell squirm, while the whore Doreah wasn’t able to look Daenerys in the eye. “ _Good for them.”_ Oberyn thought as Jaime approached him.  
  
“ _I absolutely have no fucking business in here. Seriously, Jon should attend these things on his own. He looks like he knows how to blend in better than I do. Sure I could make these people laugh to some point but then I’d be out of jokes for that age.”  
  
“You’re not here because you’re his partner; you’re here because by extension, you are family. Get used to it.”  
  
_He patted him on the back and moved to the next table. He saw Mace Tyrell look his way and then look away immediately. “ _Old cunt.”_ he muttered to himself and kept examining what was going around. Then the main doors of the hall opened and in walked Aerys Targaryen. He surely knew how to make an entrance. Not necessarily a tall or a big man, still the way he carried himself made sure that his presence was felt. He slowly but surely walked to the small platform in the middle of the tables. The silence was deafening and people were waiting for him to speak.  
  
“ _I welcome you all to the 40 th annual ball of our company. Some of you have been with us for many years now, yet some of you are here for the first time. The first timers, I encourage them to drink as much as possible, because they will find out soon enough that this isn’t necessarily the event where you get through sober. Many of you should be able to tell that from my condition.”  
  
_There were chuckles and small laughter in the audience. Oberyn quickly checked what Jon was up to. He was listening intently with a smile on his face. They were holding hands with Dany and it was definitely a show of strength towards the Tyrells. Davos Seaworth’s new campaign manager was with the bright star of the Targaryen family. Old cunt Mace would have been wiser to push his daughter Margaery to Jon’s way, if he actually had been able to see his rise coming. Now they would be cut off from power and the idea of it made Oberyn smile.  
  
“ _Also keep in mind that this party goes on until the last person leaves. The open bar is what it is and you are encouraged to use it. Now to the boring stuff; you all know that I officially retired last year, but still was asked to give this speech by my brother Viserys. This had been a long and hard year for our company and we struggled like many others. Despite the difficulties, our deal with the Tyrell family has been a joy to work with. Then again I would like to make an official announcement here as the head of the family that we have now signed a new deal with the Martell Constructions for the design and construction of the next and newest football stadium of Dorne.”  
  
_ Everyone was applauding; Mace Tyrell and Petyr Baelish had absolutely no color on their faces. His father was smiling, Rhaegar Targaryen was smirking, Jon and Dany were really trying hard not to burst out laughing and Viserys Targaryen looked like he could faint any moment. He was completely left in the dark and his face showed it. Old Aerys Targaryen had played this beautifully with the help of his son. “ _He’s still got it.”_ Oberyn thought to himself and took another sip of his scotch.  
  
***  
  
Watching Olenna Tyrell drag her son to the dark corners of the main hall was a joy. Willas Tyrell looked like a child who had just dropped his candy bar right down to the toilet, while Doreah was completely stunned. Willas then excused himself to go and check his father and grandmother, while Jon was staring Doreah in the eyes. Before he started speaking, Dany had absolutely no idea that she would be insanely turned on by the end of that monologue.  
  
“ _You know, you are handling yourself pretty good for a pretender. Talking very little, making almost no eye contact with the woman you screwed over, your friend of many years to be specific. Now that your dear chubby hubby isn’t here to hold your leash, you look like a lost little puppy that I could almost adore you out of pity but I won’t. So listen to me you ungrateful little shit; I want you and your family by extension to know that I’m coming for you all. No no no, no need to rush to papa in law here, I’ll let the older men talk it in between themselves. Randyll Tarly will take everything from you and when you have nothing and become the most useless thing in the entire continent, and then maybe I’ll buy your ass so I can hand it to my girlfriend as a gift.”  
  
_ The silence was deafening. Doreah was just looking at the floor. She couldn’t even raise her head to look at her and Jon had just crushed her like she was nothing. She had never seen this side of his, his dark side that he always had mentioned. For a brief moment she couldn’t tell whether this was pure anger or a political game. His words were so well chosen, so on mark that she just wanted to drag him out of the hall and have her way with him. Still he wasn’t done because he had just left her hand hanging.  
  
“ _Now you will look my girlfriend in the eye and apologize. Not that it matters or means anything; you will start with the simplest of courtesies because that’s how ladies behave in Westeros. I’m not sure what they teach the prostitutes in Lys but, since you are here and pretending to be Westerosi, you’ll behave like one.”  
  
_ That had to be the final nail in the coffin. When her head rose, her eyes were filled with tears, her face was red and it was clear that she was really trying hard to not to make a scene there.  
  
“ _I’m sorry Dany.”_ she whimpered. _  
  
“LOUDER.”_ Jon hissed. She needed to ask him later whether he was finding any joy in this but surely he was good at crushing that little bitch.  
  
“ _I’m sorry Dany.”_ She repeated, louder. “ _They made me do it. They made me set you up, feed you glass after glass and bring the topic to work. It was all Petyr’s idea and my husband had approved it. I am so sorry.”  
  
_ One kick to the gut and she had blabbed. She wasn’t sure if this was just one kick though. This could have been a devastating combination of kicks and punches delivered without breaking a sweat.  
  
“ _Your apology is NOT accepted Doreah. You were my friend, one of the closest ones actually and yet you crossed me for a seat at the table because you are nothing but a pawn. A prostitute not just in profession but also in your state of mind. When the time comes you’ll be exposed for what you are, you will lose everything you have and I don’t care whether you get arrested or get kicked out of the country but I know for sure that I’ll enjoy seeing you suffer.”_   
  
With that, they left her to deal with her sorrows on her own. Jon quickly turned her towards him and kissed him. He knew that everyone could see it and he looked like he wanted everyone to see it. He looked at her with loving eyes and cupped her face.  
  
“ _I’m so proud of you.”_ he said to her. Dany thought she was probably beaming and her heart was pumping with ecstasy. The rush was still high from what she had done and she was really happy about it. Just when he looked like he was going to move somewhere else, she stopped him and kissed him for everyone to see. She wasn’t someone vulnerable anymore. She was safe, not the little girl that anybody can pick on or bully towards anything. Her eyes searched for her uncle and when she found him squirming like the little shit he is next to her father, she decided on the next move.  
  
“ _Come on. I’ll introduce you to my parents now. It’s time.”  
  
_ ***  
  
“ _Mom, dad… Meet Jon. My boyfriend.”  
  
_ It was that simple. He tried to remember when the last time he introduced someone to his parents was. It was right after Arya was smuggled back to Westeros and then Jon had been dating that Braavosi horn player for a year. He thought it was sort of getting serious so had introduced her to his parents when they were visiting. When he remembered those old times, he was happy that they were over. Now he was here with who he believed to be right person, though the right person still needed to be taught about certain things. He knew he would have the appreciation of the old man, considering their political views, sports and the environment he was in. Still, that was maybe even half of the beginning of this grilling and he was here to take it. “ _This is going to be more difficult than political plays.”_ he thought to himself but didn’t change his expression. At that time, he was trying to look interested in whatever Rhaegar was talking about, while holding Dany’s hand at the same time. Her grip had tightened and so had his. “ _Oh, she is as stressed about this as I am, that’s good.”_ he thought inwardly and almost chuckled.  
  
Then suddenly, Aerys Targaryen rose from his seat and turned to Jon.  
  
“ _Would you be so kind to escort me towards those comfortable seats in the room next to the hall? I heard you are a Mormont whiskey fan and I have some specialty in storage. This moment would be appropriate I was told, so if you could just follow me?”  
  
_ Jon knew that this was not the time to hesitate. Old men like Aerys Targaryen who ran their company for 30 plus years wouldn’t take no for an answer so he obliged. Just when the rest of the family were about to follow them, Aerys turned back and made his intentions clear.  
  
“ _Not you lot. I’m offering that whiskey to Jon and we have some man to man things that we need to talk about.”  
  
_ He looked at Dany and she looked like she could faint at any time. This would be the last time he would be able to look at his phone until he got out of that room with Aerys so immediately he sent Oberyn a text.  
  
“ _The old man is isolating me. Make sure Dany is never alone until I return.”  
  
_ And then they left. One last look and he saw Elia moving towards Dany so she was saved. Plus Elia was good company so she wouldn’t be bored. They didn’t talk during that awfully long walk towards the room. The distance wasn’t long but the old man’s pace was rather turtle-like. Once they reached the room, he pulled a _Mormont 25_ from out of the liquor cabinet and smiled at him.   
  
“ _Do the honors will you? I’ll take a seat now. After this many years, it becomes exhausting being me.”  
  
_ Jon just nodded and poured them a glass each. This was some exquisite stuff, like real Northern stuff and at the same time a show of strength and style. Not too many people would have this bottle in their cabinet and it wasn’t just about the money, it was also about how rare it was and it showed the like for the taste of wood and smoke. That made Jon feel like the old man knew where he was coming from.  
  
“ _So, enough with that chit-chat and I require one promise. You will be honest with everything I ask you here, especially the ones concerning my daughter. You can play your politics for all I care and don’t think that I didn’t notice you tearing that whore apart to pieces. Now the first question: Did you do it for personal gain, or was it revenge on my daughter’s behalf?”  
  
_ Jon was surprised that he knew. Dany hadn’t mentioned coming clean about this to her father but this definitely wasn’t the time to hesitate. He had to be blunt as fuck for the old man to really get a measure of him. So he decided to not to hold back on anything.   
  
“ _Both. You probably know Tarly is going to push Tyrells out of business in the near future and he’s funding my office because his son works with me, so that’s a favor for him. Second, that whore caused a big drought in my relationship and I despise her.”  
  
“What kind of a drought, that you’ll need to explain to me.”  
  
“Daenerys wasn’t comfortable telling me about what had happened before the Tyrell deal. At that point I couldn’t have helped her anyway, because I had no political power. But her keeping secrets from me wasn’t something I appreciated and I won’t appreciate that ever. Now her behavior about sharing is much better but, still, that had to be done. I won’t have anyone causing riffles in my relationship.”  
  
“Not even me?”  
  
“Not even you.”  
  
“Why her, explain that to me. Usually guys orbit her like as if she is their parent star for a month or two before she shuts them down. You however stayed and stood your ground, despite being pushed out of orbit you managed to pull her towards you and now I can see that she’s the one orbiting you.”  
  
“Because she has a good heart, she is kind to me, she’s understanding enough with how I work and why I do what I do. When I have creative problems she’s always there for me. I know that I can tell her anything because she’s trustworthy. Her sense of duty, that comes from you I imagine, is very high as well. She practically ticks all the boxes I needed from someone and I certainly hope it’s vice versa.”  
  
“Oh so this isn’t a conquest for you to just get into her pants? Very well, glad you made your intentions known this early into the conversation. How far do you want to go with her?”  
  
“With your permission, all the way.”  
  
“You know that she’s her daddy’s little girl, right? She sometimes acts like she’s the only person in the world because I brought her up that way. I don’t regret it one bit, but sure it has caused many things throughout her life and career. Her mom is my complete opposite in this sense; she has the same thing for Rhaegar. In her eyes he is perfect and in my eyes, Dany is. Now I know that you know that I have a third child too but she has already saved herself and secured her future a long time ago, so no need for me to ever worry about her again, unless she needs my help. In any case, I’m thinking Dany has driven you to the edge at least once until now?”  
  
“Multiple times actually.”  
  
“And how long this has been going on?”  
  
“It started in April, went on until late August, but the month of August was like shit to be honest.”  
  
“Then she broke up with you?”  
  
“We didn’t necessarily break up but just stopped seeing each other. I was in no mood to talk with her. I was very angry.”  
  
“This isn’t the first time I’m hearing these sentences. Both her mom and Rhaegar have spoken the same words before and I can imagine why. Self-centered thinking, no empathy and a lot of expectations, right?”  
  
“Exactly.”  
  
“Did she try to kick you down the moment you slipped up?”  
  
“She did.”  
  
“And how did you take it?”  
  
“That was the most recent time she drove me to the edge so I said that she needs to figure out what I mean to her. This is the first time we’ve seen in ten days. The first time after that talk and that had happened when I was in a hospital bed.”  
  
“Why was that?”  
  
“Burnout.”  
  
“You seem to be healthy enough now.”  
  
“If you ask the doctor, I probably am not healthy enough to sit down and sip this with you.”  
  
“Heh. All the doctors who told me to stop drinking and smoking are dead. Care for a cigar?”  
  
“Wow sure, especially with this exquisite whiskey.”  
  
“I have just the right stuff here. Straight from Naath and absolutely perfect.”  
  
“Wait, are we allowed to smoke in here? I thought we needed to go outside?”  
  
“I still own the building so no one can tell me to what to do here.”  
  
_***  
  
“ _It’s been an hour. How can they be gone for so long? What are they even talking about?”  
  
“Oh dear, relax. You know that Jon is the easiest person to communicate with. You can talk for hours with him and won’t notice that time went by.”  
  
“But my father isn’t someone like that. He probably is grilling him in there right now and I seriously need to find an excuse to barge in there.”  
  
“Dany seriously you need to relax. Jon knows how to handle men like your father. His own father is a grumpy old man as well. You two basically complain about the same things about your fathers.”  
  
“Oh you know his parents right? How are they like, I haven’t met them still and I seriously hope that Jon will introduce me to them soon enough. Can you feed me some information maybe? You know, girl to girl stuff?”  
  
“Hah, of course dear. I wouldn’t worry about his father one bit. You tick all the boxes for his father already. The party and the individual you vote for and the team you support will be enough for him. He never interferes with Jon’s personal life.”  
  
“So it’s his mother that I should be vary of?”  
  
“She can probably grill you worse than your father can grill Jon. I might be speculating but she’s insanely blunt and straight to point. Almost as blunt as Jon that it can be annoying.”  
  
“Well, I’m going to need more on that later. They’re coming so we should probably giggle like teenagers and say that we were talking about girl stuff when they’re here. Thinking of my father’s pace, it’s going to take them at least three minutes so we’re good to go.”  
  
_As they approached, Dany’s heartbeat quickened. Both of them looked rather happy and her father was actually smiling. How in the blue fuck that happened, she had no idea. Seemingly Jon had his way with her father because he looked rather pleased and satisfied with himself. When they finally made it to where they were standing, she noticed that they smelled like cigars.  
  
“ _Oh dad, did you smoke? And Jon how could you encourage him to do that, you know his condition.”  
  
_ Then her father silenced her immediately by raising his hand. _  
  
“Actually I was the one who offered the cigars and don’t worry, I just puffed it out. He surely has the stronger lungs here.”  
  
_ Jon was just grinning like an idiot. She would need to extract every piece of information from him later on. Her mother, noticing that her husband was back with her daughter’s boyfriend, intervened at the best moment possible.  
  
“ _Oh Jon dear, I’m sorry if this old man took you prisoner. You know that he barely leaves the house nowadays so he talks a lot when he sees a new face.”  
  
_ Jon had chuckled at the remark and was seemingly in a very good mood. “ _Actually he let me do most of the talking.”_ he said. What was seriously going on, neither of them could understand. Then Rhaegar came and said something to her father’s ear. Something was definitely at play here, she didn’t understand it. Was Jon in on this? He had said no more secrets between them, but then again he was very good at keeping secrets from anyone. _“He wouldn’t keep things from me.”_ she thought inwardly because seemingly he wasn’t all that interested in what Rhaegar and her father were doing. He was in a conversation with her mom, who looked at him like he was the only thing in the world that mattered. Dany loved her parents and sure they were protective of her but maybe this was getting a bit too much. Then her father spoke.  
  
“ _Okay, a little bit of interruption to rainbows and cupcakes. Olenna Tyrell just fired Petyr Baelish due to what has taken place earlier tonight.”_ then he turned to Jon and continued: “ _From what Rhaegar told me, your little plot seems to be working. Now with Baelish, who’s gonna do the honors?”  
  
“Doran Martell. I know that he’s been waiting for that since the ousting of the Durrandons. That is something that I cannot and will not interfere. His endgame has been decided a long time ago. The Martells will strip him out of whatever he has left and then send him to the North. The North remembers.”  
  
_After the final sentence, the silence was a bit chilling. The northerner in Jon sometimes surfaced like that and she would need to figure out why soon. Her parents and Rhaegar thought that they’ve had enough of the party and were thinking of retreating home. She looked at Jon, who was just watching his friends from a distance.  
  
“ _Do you want to go maybe somewhere private?”  
  
“Perhaps after I intimidate your uncle a little?”  
  
“Oh sure, that I want to see as well.”  
  
_***  
  
Viserys Targaryen looked like he was the palest man on the planet. Certainly this was all too much for him at one night, Jon could tell. Now that the rest of the Targaryen family had left and Dany was by her side, he was cornered and couldn’t leave until the party ended. They were going to take full advantage of the situation and then all he wanted to do was go home and spend time with Dany. She looked like she finally understood what this relationship meant to her so that was a good sign. When Dany introduced him to her uncle, Jon just shook the man’s hand in a bone-crushing way. His eyes were rock solid and he decided to speak as little as possible. He wanted Viserys to think that he was a Northern brute, who had no manners and could hurt him in every possible way and from the look of fear in the man’s eyes, he looked like he was succeeding.  
  
Dany meanwhile was cheerful as hell and one didn’t need to observe too hard to tell that she was having a good time. She was blabbing about how her father liked Jon and how they shared a cigar together. Jon could tell that Aerys Targaryen had stopped caring for his brother after finding out that he was nothing but a traitor. Squeezing Dany’s hand, he signaled to her that it was their cue to leave. Dany was more than prepared for the occasion so she stood up and bid good night to her uncle and thanked him for the wonderful organization. Jon was also up from his seat and was staring down on Viserys Targaryen with intensity.  
  
“ _I probably don’t think we’ll see each other again but if we do, please fill me in about how it feels to be in bed with Robert Baratheon. I promise to bring a bag to hurl into.”  
  
_ Once they left and totally disappeared, Dany pinched him on the arm. She was barely holding her laughter and looked totally amused.  
  
“ _I can’t believe you said that to him. Does that mean that we get to expose him for that now?”  
  
“Yes. Your father knows about it, he told me as much when we were in the room. He’s a very interesting man and I have to say we got along very well.”  
  
“You need to fill me in about the details of that long conversation. I’m insanely curious. I mean forget any boyfriend or flirt, not even my normal friends could get along with him and you somehow managed to make him offer you a cigar? How?”  
  
“I complied with what he asked from me.”  
  
“And what was that?”  
  
“Honesty.”  
  
_*** _  
  
_The ride back to Jon’s place was rather peaceful and silent. He had been holding her since they got into the car and they had shared occasional kisses. She wanted him so badly that it was becoming unbearable. Luckily they had made it to his place without her jumping him in the car but once they entered his apartment she couldn’t just wait anymore. She was already so wet and just wanted to seduce him against his will. She pressed him to the wall and went straight for his pants. She felt that he was getting hard for her and she loved doing this to him. She took him in her mouth and enjoyed every moment of it. He was moaning with pleasure and wasn’t able to resist her anymore. She was determined to make him cum right there. She wanted to possess him like he did to her after the time she told him that she loved him. He was moaning her name as she was sucking him and that was turning her on even more. Finally she felt the vibrations as he pressed her head hard to himself and spilled his seed down her throat. She then looked at him, satisfied but hungry at the same time. She was going to ride him to hell next, she was sure of it. He was so aroused still, she could tell so she guided him into his living room and pushed him to the couch. He was searching his pockets for a condom and when he finally found and slapped it on; she sat on his lap and took him inside her. Gods he felt great everywhere. In her mouth, in her folds, just everywhere… He was hers and the world knew it. Now she was making sure that he knew it too. She was stepping up, owning this relationship, owning her responsibilities, owning everything that this relationship was bringing her.  
  
“ _I will know whether you are walking this path with me, fully committed.”  
  
_ That was the first part of the sentence. She was going to make sure that the other half of it was never to be mentioned again. He was her companion, her love, her partner, her other half. Her puzzle piece, Rhaegar had called him and he was right. She rode him harder when she thought of how much love he had shown her and with how little she had responded all these months. Nobody was ever going to be able to ever take him from her. Not even herself. With that thought she rode him harder and faster and screamed his name as she came.  
  
***  
  
This was what he wanted. Peace and quiet with Dany, away from all the stress, all the politics, all the clients, all the assholes, all the incompetent people they had to deal with. He knew it now, his dream was to move away from all this chaos and this shithole called King’s Landing to live a quiet life with her. Once all the paychecks came through, they would have all the money in the world they would need. Then he would be done with Westerosi politics, all the ass-kissing and money grubbing that people so fancied themselves with. Sell his stock to Jaime so he becomes the sole owner, buy a house nearby a nice beach, just work for stuff which can be called actual art and only maybe stress about that. He knew that Dany despised the job and what came with it too.  
  
Neither of their families were religious at all, so there were no Christmas celebrations to attend. Jon had always found religious amusing and Dany had told him that she had felt the same almost all her life. Still they both would like to enjoy the festivities because there was lots of food involved. In any case, for them this was going to be a nice two day vacation they would spend home and talk lots. Jon had really hoped that she would come through this time and luckily, she had. He was hoping that this would be the last time that they ever had to let anything get in between them. He loved her and had really wanted her to understand that together everything was easier for them. Separation made everything difficult and lack of communication made everything worse. All those fights, all those stupid arguments they got into, all the anger, all that angst that they had, he hoped it was finally behind them.  
  
Morning sex, coffee, shower, big breakfast, chilling in the living room in front of the tv, listening to music. All the things that they had yearned to do together, now they were doing it. This was peaceful and he thought maybe this could be permanent. Once they had nothing more to do in this damn city, they could leave it all behind and go away from all of it. He still had to make sure that they were in this together but he could see that Dany was trying to make sure that he understood that she wasn’t letting go. In his arms, she often smiled at him, ignored the tv and just kissed him passionately. She was showing her love for him. Not letting him out of her sight for the briefest moment, she was making sure that he completely understood and never doubted anything anymore.  
  
“ _Where’s this all coming from?”_ he finally asked her. She looked at him with loving but serious eyes.   
  
“ _At the hospital you made everything clear to me. Usually when such an ultimatum came from a boyfriend or whatever, it was the time I packed up and fucked off. When I left the hospital, I thought that was it. Arya wanted to kill me there and you had told me that you were distancing yourself from me because of how I behaved. I couldn’t take it. My heart just couldn’t. No matter how many times I had screwed up, you had stayed. You hadn’t left me. Even when there was this damn barrier that I built, you waited. When you told me that you would be open to the option, my whole world fell apart. All I wanted to do was to go home and cry myself to sleep but then Val called. That was maybe one of the most interesting nights of my life. That woman seriously beat the sense I had lost so many years ago, back into me. It was enlightening, passionate and caring. She made me realize that I had reached the point that I couldn’t manage without you. Your absence was crushing me. Not like absent in the relationship way but rather you not being there at all. That was the part which made me decide that I’m all in. I wanted to sleep and wake up with you, just like you had said to me in the very beginning. Back then it had melted my heart but when I thought of it in the end, my heart had shattered to a million pieces.”  
  
“Dany…”  
  
“No, you listen now. I love you. There hasn’t been a single day that I haven’t loved you since we started this. I know I can’t take back all the shit I’ve done but I promise to make it better in the future. Our future. I want to call it that. Not just mine or yours but ours. Because I want it to be this way and you did everything for me all this time while I just couldn’t even open my mouth to say the things you deserved to hear. So please let me speak now for I have so much to tell you. How I love sleeping on your shoulder, how I love waking up to your scent and kisses, how you hold me in public, how you say that I’m your girlfriend… These all complete me you know? All that struggle and horror ends when I’m in your arms and for some reason, or maybe because I’m an idiot, I couldn’t understand it the first two times. But I want to promise you that I finally understood the situation. Yes, it took one of your friends to beat sense into me and yes it was realized because I feared losing you forever. I want you to know that I love you, I trust you and I now know that I cannot be without you. I’m sorry for all the shit I’ve done and I cannot take them back, but as I said I want to make the future better for us. Whatever I will do, I want to do it with you.”  
  
_Finally. Finally she had opened her heart fully. He wasn’t asking how or why, because this was the end result he always wanted. Plus he hadn’t lost anything of himself to be honest. The woman he loved, the woman that completed him was now finally, fully his. He looked into her eyes and kissed her passionately. This was by far the most comfortable silence he had ever had. His heartbeat had quickened and the rush was higher than it was before the collapse. He tried to bring his words together but it was so difficult. He would stutter if he could but he couldn’t just speak. The words weren’t coming out. Finally he lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. “ _Now.”_ his inner voice told him. Now he was ready.  
  
“ _I want us to take the next step.”_ he blurted out.  
  
Once again, for Jon and Dany, time had stopped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reconciliation as we all know, is very often hard. However with the right choice of words and a good execution, anything is possible. This was Dany's time to step up and I hope I did that part of the story justice. 
> 
> This was the longest chapter I have written so far and actually I have to say that it was rather helpful with the dialogues and storytelling. I would like to keep writing chapters around this length, because it feels to me that it helps the expression a little bit more.
> 
> Now I actually considered taking a break from the story because of schedule conflicts, but ultimately decided that I might slow down with the pace a little but keep writing as much as I can. I know that it's not a big audience we have here, but I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone even if there was only one person reading this story.
> 
> Once again, I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your supportive comments since the beginning and sticking with me through this ride. Thank you so much!


	17. What the Future Holds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next step is revealed, a trip is taken and political plots keep on brewing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note; The updates will be more like this from now on. A bit longer chapters but a new chapter on every second or third day.

Jon was probably going to kill her. Then again maybe he wouldn’t. “ _Do it somewhere I can’t see please.”_ He had said to her and well, there was absolutely no reason for Jon to come down to Gendry’s flat.  
  
Arya Stark of Winterfell hated King’s Landing. She hated the scent of the city; she hated the people who lived in it, she hated the big buildings cramped together. The only reason she would come to this place was Jon, she thought. Now apparently, she had another reason for that.  
  
“ _I now noticed that I never asked you where you’re from. Where are you from actually?”  
  
“From Storm’s End. Why did you ask? Do you only date Northerners? Is there a strict rule about that?”  
  
_Gods, this panic of his… He had no idea how cute that made him. She chuckled at his reaction and caressed his hair.   
  
“ _No you stupid idiot, I don’t think there were even rules like that when the children of the forest lived on these lands. Plus, I didn’t know that we were dating. Do you think we are dating?”  
  
“I’d like to think so.”  
  
“Well then you need to take me out on a proper date.”  
  
_While she was dressing up, her phone rang. Little Lyanna Mormont had to be in trouble, for she had been calling her for the third time today. She was never allowed to breathe because of these fucking phone calls. For generations, the Starks and the Mormonts had a good relationship and she really didn’t want to mess it up so she took the call.  
  
“ _How can I help you Lyanna?”  
  
“Ms. Stark, I have been trying to reach Mr. Snow for days now, but his phone is off. He had said to me that he was going to send me to Winterfell to work with you on the newest animation for the campaign but then I never heard from him. Is it really happening, because if it is, then I actually need to start arranging my stuff and actually book a flight.”  
  
“Oh Lyanna, why the haste? If Jon said that you’re taking the trip, that means you are taking the trip. I think he’s on an extended retreat, especially now that his job for the first part of the campaign is done, so I wouldn’t try reaching him say until tomorrow morning? He was sick before and now I think he’s home with his girlfriend so that’s why his phone must be off. I’ll still call his flat and confirm it for you. And for the last time, it’s Arya when it’s just us. Understood?”  
  
“Yes Ms. Sta---Arya.”  
  
“Good. Now enjoy your day and wait for my call. I’ll be dropping by his office to meet Jaime anyway, so I’ll let you know. Ciao for now!”  
  
_She just couldn’t catch a break. This was supposed to be the holiday season but apart from Jon, everyone else was working. “ _He deserved this for a long time now.”_ She thought inwardly. While at the hospital, Jon had mentioned that he hadn’t taken a day off from the last week of August, until the day he collapsed. A part of her still wanted to blame Dany for what had happened but apparently it had been coming for a long time. Then again, she had done her part and had been the bad cop, only for Val to sweep in and collect the remains. That apparently had worked nicely, because now everything seemed to be right between them.  
  
Then her phone rang again. This time it was _actual_ business.  
  
“ _Hi Jaime, I hope you have good news for me?”_  
  
“ _I sure do. Still dropping by the office, right? I’m sure you’re gonna want to see this.”  
  
“Of course, I’ll be there around 1 pm. Do you know by any chance if Jon is coming today?”  
  
“Hell no. He finally took time off and none of us actually has the courage to call and ask him to come in until after New Year’s. In any case Seaworth specifically said that he needed him healthy so he still has time off. I’d be surprised if he even left his flat.”  
  
“Alright, good to know. In that case I’ll need to call his landline to make sure he’s alive.”  
  
_Once the call ended, she gathered her belongings, warned Gendry once more to be discrete about the thing between them while at the office, and then left. She would have loved to stay, but the fool would’ve gotten other ideas had she stayed. She needed to talk about this with someone, someone from the outside of this blur. Jon was a clear no at this point, she knew. Ethically he couldn’t encourage such thing in any case so she had to find someone else to call and bother. She could always call Val for sure, but no, she was going to seek Dany’s advice on the matter and use it as an olive branch to her at the same time. For the time being though, she had to settle with Val so she took her phone and gave her a call.  
  
“ _So listen, I have something urgent that needs to be discussed. Do you think it’s okay with Tormund if I crash at your place tonight? I’ll take the train there if he’s fine with it.”  
  
“Oh he’s in Hardhome, visiting his family so just come over once you’re done there.”  
  
“Great! See you this evening.”  
  
_***  
  
“ _I want us to take the next step.”  
  
_ There was a long silence after he blurted that out. Dany didn’t know what to say, didn’t know what he meant by the next step. She was puzzled like hell and the worst part was that she was having difficulties with using her words. After a few puffs, she too was finally able to speak.  
  
“ _Care to fill me in about the next step?”  
  
_ He was again smiling like an idiot but Dany then noticed the confidence in his eyes. Now he knew what to say, because he had gotten the worst and the most difficult part out of the way. He cleared his throat, poured more coffee for both of them and then lit a cigarette. After a puff, he left it on the ashtray and started speaking.  
  
“ _I mean that we quit our jobs, sell everything we have, move to Valyria and open a bed and breakfast together.”  
  
_ Dany didn’t know how to respond. She was so puzzled and he sounded so serious about the whole thing that she didn’t know what to make out of it. Then came the thunderous roar of his laughter, oh this laughter she had missed hearing for so long now and it felt good. She couldn’t even get mad because he was teasing her with this. She didn’t notice she had started laughing with him until she felt her abs hurting. Once they had calmed down and stopped laughing, he held her and looked her in the eyes. Now he was serious for sure.  
  
“ _I want us to move in together. Here or someplace new, it’s up to you. But I think it seriously is the healthiest step we can take at this point.”  
  
“But my fa---“  
  
“I checked with your father.”  
  
“YOU DID WHAT?”  
  
“He asked me how far do I want to go with you and I responded; with his permission, all the way.”  
  
“YOU ACTUALLY SAID THAT?”  
  
“I did. Hey, why are you shouting?”  
  
“OH MY GOD JON, YOU SAID ALL THESE AND HE DIDN’T MURDER YOU RIGHT THERE?”  
  
“Uhm hello… I’m still standing like right next to you?”  
  
“So he approves?”  
  
“He gave us his blessing, yes. He said that he was glad to know that I was serious and not just trying to get into your pants.”  
  
“But you do try getting into my pants very often.”  
  
“I was just there like two hours ago, please.”  
  
“Still doesn’t explain why you try and succeed in doing that so often.”  
  
“Is it maybe because I love you and I love your cute little butt?”  
  
_Then she kissed him. He was the sweetest man ever. This caring, loving man literally was ready to do everything for her, in between all that shitstorm and under tons of stress. He didn’t forget her or leave her to the side ever, by any means.   
  
“ _My answer is yes. Yes. Let’s move in together, but I can’t afford a new apartment at this point.”  
  
“So you move in here then. You know that I’m not paying rent for this place because it belongs to my parents but that can be settled. I’ll call and ask them about this actually and I think they’ll want to meet you before that. So how about we go to Tarth like… tonight?”  
  
“TONIGHT? I mean even if the tickets are affordable, where do we stay, what do we bring, what do we do, oh my god if I say yes to all these now that I’ll be grilled by Lyanna Stark by tomorrow morning?”  
  
“Uhm yeah… Pretty much.”  
  
“You know what… Let’s do it. Let’s go to fucking Tarth. I want to be spontaneous with you now that we have the chance. But you sir are not paying for my ticket. That’s an absolute no.”  
  
“I was actually thinking of billing it to Tarly’s company.”  
  
“Well then, I’ll gladly accept that asshole’s money for this spontaneous trip. But oh my god, what do I wear, what do I say, WHAT DO I WEAR?”  
  
“Once this coffee is done, I’ll pack my stuff, we buy the tickets, quickly drop by your place so you can get your clothes, I get to say hi to your family and then we go to Tarth and you meet my family. Sounds like an excellent plan?”  
  
“Fuck me, but it really sounds mad and exciting at the same time.”  
  
“Fuck you? Oh gladly.”  
  
“NOT LITERALLY, I’M FREAKING OUT RIGHT NOW.”  
  
_The amusement on his face was priceless. He was happy and he was happy with her. They were happy together. Dany knew that nothing and nobody would make her let go of this now. While she was lost in her thoughts, he had left to his room to pick up his phone. Then she heard that he was on the phone.  
  
“ _Yes mom. An actual girlfriend. Like really a girlfriend. No, not Val or Arya, you’ve known them for years already. YES AN ACTUAL GIRLFRIEND. YES I’VE BEEN DATING FOR A WHILE. YES WE ARE SPENDING THE NIGHT. MOM…Could you please… Uhm sure mom yes. Of course mom. Yes I love you too.”  
  
_ His face was still priceless. He didn’t maybe look the most amused but certainly the expression was priceless. She started chuckling once she saw his face and had to ask:  
  
“ _So what did she say?”  
  
“She’s preparing a feast for us.”  
  
“Like those feasts that they held in the castles in the Old Westeros?”  
  
“You could say so. I’m pretty sure there will be so much food that even looking at it will make us feel ful--- oh who am I kidding, we’re gonna eat like crazy.”  
  
“So it’s encouraged?”  
  
“She would be offended if you ate very little. Trust me on that.”  
  
“Oh okay, I like your mom already!”  
  
“You should definitely mention that to her that you said this to me.”_  
  
***  
  
Petyr Baelish was exposed. He was one of the main keys which opened the doors to Euron Greyjoy’s reign of terror. He had been the one to connect him to Robert Baratheon and the Tyrells. He had testified falsely on court about so many things that had led to many journalists being imprisoned. He was the one who caused Ned Stark’s assassination with all the things he had said on tv programmes. Ned Stark was always thought to be the next president of the country and would certainly had become a candidate before Greyjoy’s third term as president. Once these documents in front of him hit the papers tomorrow, Jaime was sure that all hell was going to break loose.  
  
His father-in-law had gathered the information from all these illegal trades and left it with him so that it could be used as a part of Seaworth’s campaign. Jaime maybe wasn’t as ruthless as Jon would get when it came to these political matters, but he surely knew what to do. The police was going to have to take Baelish under custody, once the information became public. Baelish had gone into his house in the place called Fingers, some small coast town in the Vale. He knew when to hide and when to appear on stage. Lucky for them, Varys and his little birds were always one step ahead. This meant that Arya Stark would also get her revenge.  
  
Just when he thought of her, she walked into the office. For a reason that he couldn’t really tell, Jaime always liked this little woman. Whether it was because of mutual friends, the love and respect she held for Jon or because he thought that Baelish had a part in his father’s death, he couldn’t tell. Tywin Lannister had died in a car accident when Jaime was only 6 years old. Because of this, his elder brother Tyrion, who was ten years older than him, actually had stepped up to lead the family from a very early age. He wanted to know for sure if Baelish had played a part in this as well. Before getting too lost in his thoughts, he stood from his seat and gave the little woman a big hug.   
  
“ _Welcome! Glad you came a little early. I’m sure you’re going to love this.”  
  
_ He handed the papers to Arya. She was reading through them carefully and Jaime could see the tension rising in her. “ _Son of a bitch.”_ she muttered. Arya Stark always knew that Baelish’s public speeches had alienated her father and eventually made him into a political target. Some no name homeless man had been blamed for stabbing Ned Stark near the Maegor homeless shelter, where he had bled to death after several stab wounds.   
  
“ _We had suspected some of these and some these we already knew. So when does this all begin?”  
  
“Tomorrow morning these documents hit the papers. Jon Arryn has made sure of it through his people and Officer Royce will start the investigations in the Vale, where Baelish currently is.”  
  
“Oh, he isn’t in KL or Highgarden? That’s a surprise.”  
  
“No, he got fired by the Tyrells at the Targaryen annual ball.”  
  
“Wow, that’s big news. What caused it to happen? I thought Olenna Tyrell had been colluding with that piece of shit for years now?”  
  
“The new Martell-Targaryen deal is the reason. Targaryen Co. just took the job for design and construction of the newest football stadium in Dorne. Sunspear Hawks’ new stadium to be specific.”  
  
“I fucking hate the Hawks you know that. Still, that’s a good deal. So your father-in-law is giving the Targaryens the way out, that’s good to hear.”  
  
“That’s the smallest perk. This exposes Baelish, Tyrells, Robert Baratheon and eventually because it’s all connected to him, Euron Greyjoy. Just watch the swings in the polls a week after this hits the papers.”  
  
“Good for your campaign and good for Jon. Oh by the way, I called his landline but there was no answer still. You have any information on his whereabouts?”  
  
“I don’t know but aren’t you being a little overprotective with him this time? He has gathered himself and actually handled the ball very well. Oberyn told me that he crushed the whore for crossing Daenerys and then had his way with Viserys Targaryen. Plus it looked like he really impressed Dany’s father too, so I guess things are working out for him now.”  
  
“Still, I wouldn’t feel fine unless I heard his voice.”  
  
“Fine, fine, let me call him and put him on speaker.”  
  
_He connected his phone to the speaker, dialed the number and then waited for it the ring. After the third ring, Jon picked up and wherever he was, it sounded loud.  
  
“ _Dude what are you up to? I thought you would be home?”  
  
“Man, it’s been a mess. We decided to go to Tarth tonight with Dany.”  
  
“TO TARTH? OH. You’re gonna introduce her to the parents. Nice.”  
  
“Yeah that’s the initial plan but there is more to tell. I’ll let you know once we get back. It’s more face to face stuff.”  
  
“But everything is okay, right? Arya is with me at the office and she practically forced me to call you.”  
  
“I DID NOT. I just told him that you weren’t answering your landline.”  
  
“Well, is it maybe because I’m not home? Alright I got to go now, we’re near Dany’s parents’ place. A quick visit, she gathers her stuff and we take off. You guys will be in KL when I return on Monday?”  
  
“FUCK NO. Elia and I are heading to the mountains of Vale for a skiing trip. What about you Arya?”  
  
“I’m heading to Harrenhall to stay with Val tonight but dunno what happens afterwards. Might go back to Winterfell or actually stay in Harrenhall. Will let you know in any case. Have a safe trip!”  
  
“Thanks! You guys take care and let me know if there’s an emergency. I took my laptop with me in any case.”  
  
“Alright buddy, will do. Later!”  
  
_He and Arya looked at each other for a brief moment. They both understood that this was serious stuff, if Jon was taking Dany to Tarth to meet his parents.   
  
“ _Apparently she came through.”_ Arya said finally.   
  
“ _Good for them.”_ he added. It actually _was_ good for them. He was happy for his friend.  
  
***  
  
“ _OH COME IN DEAR, IT’S ALWAYS A JOY TO SEE YOU. HERE, LET ME TAKE YOUR COAT.”  
  
_ “ _Thank you Mrs. Targaryen, I really appreciate it.”  
  
“Just call me Rhaella dear, please. I’m not a woman of formalities you might have noticed. Care for a cup of something warm?”  
  
“Uhm, no thanks. We just dropped by for Dany to take a few things actually.”  
  
_Before Rhaella could answer, Jon heard the old man’s voice from the inside.  
  
“ _LET THE MAN THROUGH, I’D LIKE HIM TO COME AND SIT WITH ME FOR A WHILE.”  
  
_ Rhaella smiled and led him to the living room after that. Jon had taken a liking to Aerys Targaryen and apparently it was mutual. He looked like he was fond of him and it surely made things more comfortable.   
  
“ _Oh Jon, great to see you. Here, sit next to me. To what do we owe the pleasure?”  
  
“We just had to drop by for Dany to take some clothes.”  
  
“Not enough clean boyfriend t-shirts at your place?”  
  
“Hah, it’s not that. We’re taking a trip to Tarth actually. She needs to pack some clothes for warmer climate.”  
  
“Ah, it’s always lovely at winter time. While people suffer from the cold here in King’s Landing, you can always wander around by the beaches on Tarth and actually swim in the ocean. Excellent choice. Will you guys spend the New Year’s there too?”  
  
“Uhm no, I think we’re coming back to town on New Year’s Eve. This is more of a short introductory trip. We thought it’s a good time for her to meet my parents.”  
  
“Hah, just what I needed to hear! I hope your parents really grill her and you make sure to tell me every single detail about that.”  
  
“Of course I will.”  
  
_Then Dany barged into the living room with her travel bag in hand. She looked at both of them carefully, trying to figure out what was going on. Then she came to hug her dad and sat down.  
  
“ _So, what were you guys talking about?”  
  
“Jon here was telling me about the trip you planned to Tarth and I told him that I hoped you got a good grilling out of this trip.”  
  
“DAD!”  
  
“Well you can’t blame me for asking that now, can you? Besides your boyfriend here stood his ground with me and look at how good we get along now.”  
  
“So you’re not at all worried that his parents are gonna hurt your little girl?”  
  
_Jon had really tried hard not to burst out laughing after that sentence. Dany clearly knew how to play to her father’s weaknesses. But the answer was even more interesting.  
  
“ _I don’t think the people who brought up this perfect gentleman could be bad enough to hurt you. Alright then both of you, go now, you don’t want to be late for your flight. And Jon, as I requested; details please!”  
  
_ He nodded to the old man, who was grinning like a naughty little child. Dany was huffing dramatically while all this was happening. Once they left the flat after saying goodbye to her mom too, she kissed him.  
  
“ _Where did that come from?”  
  
“That was for being an excellent gentleman with my parents. While I was packing, mom went on and on about how you are always kind and nice to them and apparently I’m beaming when you are around.”  
  
“Well you are beaming now for sure.”  
  
“Oh shut up now. I will be beaming once we land to Tarth and the weather is much warmer. I fucking hate this cold.”  
  
“Yeah, I don’t blame you for that. Alright, let’s get to the airport now. We don’t wanna be late!”  
  
_The flight was rather uneventful. They had their food, enjoyed a glass of wine and then Dany slept on his shoulder for the rest of the flight. It took about three hours from King’s Landing, so it wasn’t one of the longest flights. Jon had taken a liking to Tarth when he was a little kid, but Dany actually hadn’t ever been there. The climate was always warm, it maybe got some rain during winter time, but it would be wonderful, especially when he thought that Dany loved it warm. When it was signaled that they were landing, he woke up Dany with kisses.  
  
“ _Mpfh… Gods I was sleeping really well. Are we landing soon?”  
  
“Yeah, they just gave the signal for it.”  
  
“How long is it from the airport to your parents’ place?”  
  
“Oh not too much, maybe 20 minutes tops. There isn’t much traffic there so, you’ll be surprised how fast we get there.”  
  
_***  
  
Evenstar Airport was so not crowded that it gave Dany some real joy. This was her first time in Tarth and she was really looking forward to experience the nice, warm climate, plus Jon had made sure that she had taken her swimsuits as well. On a nice December day, you could still enjoy the ocean, provided that it wasn’t that windy, she was told. They took their suitcases and headed outside to take a cab. There was no traffic at all and as they passed by the roads and streets on the way to his parents’ house, Dany noticed that she could really enjoy herself in a less crowded, stress-free environment.   
  
“ _Here we are, Sapphire Street number 11.”  
  
_ The cab driver helped them with their suitcases and then Dany noticed that his parents were actually sitting by the porch and enjoying their drinks. It was still nice and warm and it was almost 10 pm. Lyanna Stark was sipping her wine and enjoying a cigarette. She looked small in figure, but still was very beautiful for her age.  
  
“ _You didn’t tell me your mom was this beautiful.”  
  
“Oh so you have a crush on her already? You haven’t even spoken with the woman.”  
  
“No but really, she’s REALLY beautiful. How old was she again?”  
  
“Sixty-four. You can say that she looks in her early fifties if you want extra credits.”  
  
“I’ll keep this in mind.”  
  
_Once they entered, his parents stood from their seats and warmly greeted them. His mom immediately helped them inside to get rid of their stuff and they settled in to Jon’s old room from this house. It was re-decorated in the simplest of ways. A big bed, very similar to the one he had in his flat in King’s Landing, a big working desk, very dim lighting and just a simple wardrobe. The rest of the house however was aesthetically excellent. There were nice paintings on the walls, a big living room with a giant screen, a comfortable sofa and puffy seats, then another tv room, which was rather small in size, but again supported with a big tv and another comfy sofa. And that kitchen… Insanely huge, supported with a nice table for four in the middle. Everything was modest, but so well done.  
  
“ _We enjoy different things on tv, hence the two different areas.”_ she heard his mom speak. She was right behind them and she looked quite relaxed. She thought of how stressed her mother was when she had seen Jon for the first time. She knew that she was seeing him, but then he had surprised her early in the morning. Dany almost wanted to forget about those times so she quickly turned her interest back into the house again.  
  
“ _Mrs. Stark, it’s a beautiful house. Pretty much like how I’d like to have one in the future.”  
  
“Oh but you’re so young, you’ll eventually have one. And please, call me Lyanna. I hate formalities and we are certainly not in his political meetings.” _she said, teasing Jon in the matter.  
  
She chuckled at the small joke. Clearly the woman in front of her was so over everything. The troubles of the world didn’t trouble her anymore, that she could tell. How she would kill to be like that, she thought inwardly. Then Lyanna continued.  
  
“ _You can smoke inside here in the living room and the kitchen. The rest of the places however are smoke-free. Still, it’s really nice weather outside, even for me who gets cold very easily. Unless you want to rest, come join us at the porch.”  
  
_ “ _I’d love that.”  
  
_ So she followed her outside the house. Their porch and the small garden in front of it was so cute and sweet. Jon had told her that his father liked gardening nowadays, because there weren’t enough games that he could watch anymore. A Wolves fan like the both of them, he was clearly passionate about the team, as he was supporting a nice hoodie with the logo of the team. Dany smiled when she saw that, as it made her feel more welcome.  
  
“ _I hear that you are a Wolves fan too. Which branch do you follow more? Football or basketball?”  
  
_ So they got into this heated conversation about how the basketball team had declined this season, after five consecutive years of success. Arthur Dayne certainly had some belief in the team and Jon was also supportive about that.   
  
“ _We’ll make the playoffs again, you will see that. And then, we crush Harrenhall and that piece of shit Joffrey.”  
  
_ That made her chuckle. He, like both Jon and her, clearly shared the disgust for that little shit. Then her eyes turned to Lyanna Stark, who was watching the conversation intently with a smile on her face. At that moment she thought it was Jon looking at her and then she noticed how Jon and his mother’s faces were alike. Too alike maybe that it was comforting. After a while, Arthur Dayne just left for bed. Still feeling the effects of the minor operation he had, apparently he was more cautious with his diet and liquor. Dany’s thoughts immediately went to her parents once again. When comparing the two families, Jon was also brought in a very similar, loving environment. She could really tell that now, after seeing his parents. They were courteous, kind and really nice towards her. She then excused herself to visit the bathroom and used the opportunity to text her mom.  
  
“ _His parents are lovely! And this house they have by the shore, ah it’s just so fantastic. You would love it in here.”  
  
_ The response came rather quickly.  
  
“ _Well, if things get more serious between the two of you, I guess we’ll see that place soon enough? :)”  
  
_ When had her mom started using smiley faces? Then again, it was rather funny that she was using those. Jon had told her that his mom used emojis quite a lot and his father was a big fan of those stickers. “ _It’s almost like they are re-discovering facebook.”_ he had said to her. Dany chuckled, remembering the memory and made her way to the porch yet again but stopped once she heard mother and son talking.  
  
“ _I guess it’s serious, since you brought her here. Good for you.”  
  
“Come on mom, what’s with the serious attitude?”  
  
“Oh it’s serious alright and she seems really nice. Very pretty for sure. Way prettier than this last pain in the ass of yours, who wouldn’t stop stalking you. In any case, if you have decided to take the next step, you have my support.”  
  
“Oh, I didn’t think it would be this easy for you to say that.”  
  
“And why is that? Should I just intervene two hours after meeting her? Not happening. Look Jon, if you have decided to take this step, then I trust your judgment. I’ve never seen you this serious about someone anyway, so seriously good for you. It’s about time you settled down for good. You have a place, a career that’s going fine and you have matured rather well for your age. So maybe this is good timing.”  
  
“So no criticism really? Wow. I was expecting a grilling from you towards both of us.”  
  
“Why would I do that? I’m not the one who wants to build a future together. You both should figure that out on your own. It’s up to both of you to see what the future holds for you and I can see why you’d want her as a companion.”  
  
“You could? Wow, thanks mom. This conversation has been more productive than I imagined.”  
  
“No but really, I’m glad you stood your ground and fought for what you wanted. I always appreciated that in you, but when it came to people you sometimes gave up way too easily. In any case I haven’t seen you happier in years, so that’s already a plus.”  
  
_Dany was stunned. This was a sincere, heart to heart conversation between them and she had just eavesdropped.  
  
“ _He wants to build a future together with me.”  
  
“He hasn’t been happier in years.”  
  
“I love this man.”  
  
_With that confidence, she then made her way out to the porch, where Lyanna Stark greeted her with a warm smile on her face. Seeing that Dany had returned, this time Jon excused himself to go to the bathroom. Once he disappeared, Dany wanted to start talking but couldn’t. She was just lost in the eyes of the woman in front of her. She looked at her with warm and caring eyes. And then she spoke.  
  
“ _Before you say anything, I’ll just say one thing and this will be the only time I say this to you. I can tell that you love my son and you make him happy. As long as this continues, you have my full support. If the opposite happens, then you’re my worst enemy. So no grilling, no interrogation. Nothing. I want you to feel like you’re home in here, especially now you’ll start sharing an apartment together. Are we clear on that?”  
  
_ She could only nod. This was totally unexpected. She really didn’t know what to say. Then Lyanna smiled at her and continued.  
  
“ _Alright then. Since this is out of the way, you tell me what food you’d like to have tomorrow for dinner. The lady who comes for help once a week is coming tomorrow to help with the food and she’s probably an expert on general Westerosi cuisine. So tell me all your preferences and we’ll arrange it so. Jon told me that you’re a big fan of the Braavosi anise liquor and we have plenty of it to go along with the food.”  
  
_ Dany smiled warmly before she started telling her what she liked. She felt cozy and warm in this house. She was made welcome and was treated like family. This explained how Jon was who he was. It ran in the family. They were warm, kind and very direct. His mom had just made her feel accepted, just like he did to her.   
  
***  
  
He was tired still. Sure, they were away from all the big city mess, the politics and the people but it was only for two nights. Then it was again the crowd, lots of noise and just regular stuff. This is why he loved Tarth a lot. This place was far away from the troubles of the big cities, it was quiet and peaceful. Tomorrow they would walk on the beach, swim a little if it wasn’t windy and just enjoy the nice weather with drinks and eventually good food in the evening. This lifestyle was nice and sure it was great for the retired people, but with enough money in his hands, Jon thought that he could freelance and just take it easy for the rest of his life. Once this campaign was successfully over, he would have his chance.  
  
The sleep was peaceful that night. In between his sleep Dany would wake up at times and just nuzzle or kiss him and then fall back to sleep. When that happened he’d wake up momentarily to hear the sound of waves hitting the shore. This wasn’t ever possible in King’s Landing. Sure, you could go by the shore and there were even small beaches but everything was so overcrowded and so overdone. Here, it was sweet and untouched. If the subject ever came up, moving away from King’s Landing was something they could discuss with Dany.  
  
Ever the early riser, Jon was the first one up in the house. He went down to the kitchen and started making some coffee. There was a light breeze outside but the ocean looked so calm. It would be only a five minute walk to the ocean from the house so he decided to go and put on his swimming trunks and head for a quick swim, without waking anyone up. Dany wasn’t probably going to be happy with him going on his own, but then again she wasn’t an early riser and he would go again with her if she wanted to.   
  
The water felt refreshing. Jon hadn’t had a summer vacation in the past two years so it felt extra nice. This was just to wake up for good anyway, so he cut it short and headed back home. Nobody was up yet so he headed for the shower and then took a cup of coffee. He decided to head back to the room and found Dany peacefully asleep still. Quietly sliding into the bed, he held her from behind. She immediately turned to him and their lips met.   
  
“ _You smell a bit like the ocean. Have you been for a swim already?”  
  
“Yep. It was nice and cold, so nothing you would like.”  
  
“But I still want to go in the afternoon.”  
  
“We’ll do that, I promise.”  
_  
“ _This place is so nice. Far away from all the troubles of King’s Landing. I don’t want to go back.”  
  
“Neither do I, but then again we would be shit bored here with my parents after a few days. Maybe someplace else than King’s Landing for the New Year’s?”  
  
“But where would we go. We still need to go by King’s Landing and it’s cold everywhere else, apart from the Dornish coast. In any case it’s crowded there so, that’s a total no for me.”  
  
“How about Dragonstone? It’s small, not at all crowded but civilized enough. Plus the flight takes no time from KL. We could give it a try?”  
  
“I’ve been there once and it was really nice but that was in the summer time. Probably it’s cold and gloomy now with all the gray air surrounding the area.”  
  
“You’re right. So we settle for King’s Landing?”  
  
“Well, it seems better than the other options, at least for the time being. Plus we’d get to be alone and I’d like to be alone with you.”  
  
“Now that you said it like that, it does sound like a great idea. Just us, in our new flat.”  
  
“Our new flat. That sounds wonderful.”  
  
_After maybe an hour of being lazy and cuddling in bed, they headed downstairs for breakfast. There were all sorts of fresh things on the table that they attacked the food. His parents were watching them devour the food with amusement on their faces. At one point his father had commented that they needed to breathe, otherwise they risked choking on their food and he might have had a point but they were in no mood to stop. The butter, the honey, all the fresh vegetables and fruits, that fresh baked bread and all made Jon feel like he could eat the table with the food as well. Dany wasn’t shying away from food either. She had destroyed her plate and looked very happy. Finally once that there was no food in her mouth, she was able to talk.  
  
“ _I haven’t had this much food in years maybe. I barely get the chance to eat at work so this was so nice. Thank you.”  
  
_ Before he was able to say anything, his mother replied: _  
  
“Oh, so Jon doesn’t cook for you? What a shame, he’s pretty good in the kitchen.”  
  
“No, he has cooked for me before and it was great. We just couldn’t find the time for the past month and it was really stressful for both of us.”  
  
“Then it’s good that you took this break and came here. I always tell Jon to take a weekend or two off but he never listens. Maybe you’ll make him listen more in the future.”  
  
“I certainly hope so.”  
  
_Jon then felt the need to intervene. He liked it that his girlfriend and his mom were getting along but he just had to respond to this teasing.  
  
“ _You both are aware I’m still sitting here, right?”  
  
_ Then his mother looked at him like as if he was a ghost and laughed.  
  
“ _Oh, I thought you had left already, sorry about that.”  
  
_ He couldn’t help laughing to that himself. This was nice and he was really enjoying it. This time he left the table on purpose so Dany and his mother could talk alone. He would definitely get the details later when they were back in King’s Landing.  
  
***  
  
She was again alone with Lyanna Stark and again she felt like a little girl. This time she decided to open up to the woman right away and didn’t hesitate much. If she thought more about it, then she would have just sat there in silence and wait for Jon to return to actually talk about something, but then it wouldn’t have been private.  
  
“ _I really don’t know what to say, but I feel the need to talk and express myself to you still.”  
  
“Anything dear, I’m listening.”  
  
“We had a rather smooth start with Jon, but then I screwed up multiple times. I wasn’t nice to him, I was even rude to him but he didn’t budge. He wasn’t mean to me even once. I didn’t and couldn’t understand how someone could be like him. I mean there were times that I deserved a good pounding but he didn’t say anything. Then I pushed him to his limit… more than once actually. When he reached the end of his patience, he made it clear to me that he still loved me, but he wouldn’t take it anymore. When he said that he was open to the possibility of breaking up and never seeing each other again, it crushed me. Only then I understood that I feared losing him so much that I cannot be without him. I don’t even know why I’m blabbing like this and why I feel like crying but I’m so sorry that I caused him so much pain. I really am.”  
  
_There was some silence and Lyanna Stark looked at her with confident eyes. At first she didn’t look like she would react but then she smiled.   
  
“ _You don’t have to apologize to me for anything. Look, there’s one thing you should really understand before everything gets really too serious between you and him. He’s probably the most independent person on this planet. Never attached to anyone or anything and he never has been. Sure, he had his relationships and so on but never even once he actually seemed to care about anything. If you ask him, it’s always under control, his feelings don’t surface that much but he lives those inside himself. That’s why he reacts very little or he has so much patience. To get a reaction out of him is already something big enough because that shows that he actually cares. In any case, if he hadn’t forgiven you for anything, you wouldn’t be here, having this conversation with me right now.”  
  
_ Dany nodded. It was getting difficult for her to talk more at this point. Still there was more for her to hear.  
  
“ _He’s like this with his loved ones. He lets them drive him crazy but then puts them into their places. Sometimes even with me. You should totally see it when it happens with his father; he leaves that big fat man speechless. He’s not necessarily open with people but considering that you are here now, he’s pretty open with you. It’s good to ask him how he is doing every now and then. Not maybe every day, but you know, when he doesn’t seem so stressed. That’s the time he’s more likely to talk and be open, so keep that in mind.”  
  
“I will.”  
  
_The rest of the day went by rather fast. Drinking beer by the beaches and enjoying the sun was something that Dany had missed so much. The water was unfortunately too cold for her, but Jon had gone for another swim while she was just enjoying the nice and warm weather. He was definitely in a good mood, she could tell. He then opened a beer and curled next to her. The smell of the ocean was still on him and she loved the scent. He was looking at her with warm and caring eyes and was playing with her hair. She gave him a quick kiss and then he asked if she was comfortable with everything.

  
“ _More than I thought I would be. I mean your mom is absolutely wonderful. Like seriously wonderful. Why do I always expect that the women around you are likely to tear me apart? They all look scary from the outside but on the inside they are all softies.”  
  
“Well, is it maybe because Arya was almost about to murder you once?”  
  
“It might have something to do with that.”  
  
“Even she wouldn’t do that anyway. She told me the day after that she was regretting her behavior and she actually kinda likes you.”  
  
“She does? Well that’s a surprise. I still thought that she has a grudge on me and she forever will.”  
  
“No, it’s not like that. See, my friends are protective of me up to the point where they are convinced that I’m doing fine with people. When that point is reached, they never interfere with anything. In any case, if you were wondering about whom to be afraid of, it’d be Oberyn.”  
  
“Oh that’s for sure. He’s insanely political and his motives are never clear.”  
  
“So much is true. But hey, let’s finish the beers and get going. The food is going to be insane this evening.”  
  
_It looked like the food on the two tables on the porch would be enough for at least ten people. Essosi kebabs, spicy Dornish specials, Northern sea food, all those tapas type plates in Westerlands style with lots of salad and again fresh baked bread. Plus, there was Dany’s favorite, the Braavosi anise liquor. Not too many people consumed it in Westeros but it was slightly becoming popular around the people who were in their late twenties.   
  
It was a happy environment. His family had made Dany feel welcome, like she was a part of their family. The warm embrace of the environment had surrounded her and made her feel happy too. At that moment she was sure that wherever she was, as long as Jon was with her, everything would be okay.  
  
***  
  
 _“YOU’RE SLEEPING WITH JON’S ASSISTANT, WHAT THE FUCK ARYA?”  
  
“Well he specifically said that if I was doing it somewhere he didn’t see, it was okay.”  
  
“In any case, if you’re working with him on the same project or even this campaign, it’s rather unethical. Jon will get to you for this for sure. You know how protective he gets over you about these things.”  
  
“Yeah yeah I know, but I think it’s okay. I want to have Dany’s opinion on the matter actually. Plus if she’s approving this, then Jon will cave. It’s obvious now that he can’t say no to her.”  
  
“Can’t he now? What’s their situation now? Still distanced from each other or?”  
  
“Nooo, he took her to Tarth to meet his parents after this ball. Here, check out this picture he posted on instagram earlier today.”  
  
_It was a beautiful picture, a selfie to be precise, by the ocean. They both looked happy and maybe this was the first time that Val had seen Jon this happy.  
  
 _“Wow, this IS a nice picture. They really look so happy. I’m kinda glad that you talked me into the good cop-bad cop thing. Apparently it helped a bit.”  
  
“Oh come on, you knew it was going to help. Jon being Jon would keep sulking in his corner and eventually would give up. Dany isn’t much different than he is in that case so an interference was necessary. Still he knows that we played this and he promised to kick my ass at least.”  
  
“That means I’ll get some pounding too. Well, luckily I was the good cop and didn’t treat his girlfriend badly.”  
  
“That’s why I’m meaning to extend an olive branch to Dany. Now the earliest I can call her is after New Year’s and I really want to keep seeing Gendry even after they return to town. He will take me a on a proper date, that we agreed on.”  
  
“And why is that happening?”  
  
“Because he said that he’d like to see us as dating, so I told him to take me on a proper date.”  
  
“I sincerely hope you get busted by Jon on your date. I so hope that.”  
  
“You’re a jerk!”  
  
“Yep, and yet I’m one of your best friends.”  
  
“I don’t know why I put up with you.”  
  
_They went back and forth the whole night. Talked about how her and Tormund’s marriage plans were going forward, how now everyone were nicely settling into this steady rhythm of life, where things worked out rather smoothly. Val hoped once Jon was back in town and kick started things for the New Year, everything was going to be much easier. She knew it inside of her somewhere, that the year to come would bring them joy, happiness and whatever they had ever needed or asked from life. This schoolyard bully of a year had kicked almost all of them below the belt and even some of her friends had their legs chopped off that they had to crawl to get what they wanted.  
  
“ _A brighter future.”_ she thought inwardly. “ _A brighter, much happier future for all of us in need.”_ she continued in her head. They had reached the point where things would actually start being fine. _  
  
  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at the end of chapter seventeen and finally better things are on the horizon. Hope you all liked it!


	18. The Turn of the Tide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takedowns begin and the next step is taken. Meanwhile chaotic little problems start occuring in the background.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again and sorry for the little wait! I really am trying my best to deliver a chapter every two or three days. This was fun to write and hope you all will like it!

It was all over the papers.   
  
**“PETYR BAELISH EXPOSED FOR FRAUD”  
  
“COLLUSION BETWEEN TYRELL CORP. AND BARATHEON FOODS”  
  
“IS THE PRESIDENT INVOLVED? HAS HE KNOWN ALL FROM THE BEGINNING?”  
  
“EVIDENCE POINTING TO NED STARK’S MURDER ACTUALLY BEING AN ASSASINATION”  
  
**Oberyn loved this shitstorm. He was drinking his second cup of coffee while checking out the papers and Ellaria was getting ready for work at the same time. Both working in the ministry, it was practical for them to share the ride to work; especially nowadays they were practically living together. This was to be the last work day of the year, so both of them were happy. The place was stacked with bottles of Dornish red and they would celebrate the New Year with style, on their own. Oberyn’s mind drifted to Jon at this point. His mind and decisions would be needed on the field soon enough. He had already planned the second part of Seaworth’s campaign and it would be put the motion right on the 2nd of January. Knowing that Jon was an early riser, but still was on vacation, he sent him a text, telling Jon to call him when he had the chance. It was maybe two minutes later, Jon called him.  
  
“ _What’s up governor? I know that you’re going to work this early in the morning but, something has to be up for you to text me this early.”  
  
“Have you seen the papers?”  
  
“I have. Looks solid actually. Probably the nicest those papers have looked to my eyes in say… fifteen years?”  
  
“Indeed. So where are you actually? I don’t mean to disturb you from your cocooning session but, any chance you’re available for lunch today?”  
  
“An absolute no I’m afraid. Dany and I are getting back from Tarth in about an hour. At Evenstar currently, waiting for the flight.”  
  
“Oh, true, shit. You were away. Well alright then. In that case lunch on the 2nd?”  
  
“That sounds like a plan. Happy New Year governor! See you in a few days!”  
  
_With that, the call had ended. Meanwhile Ellaria was all prepared and ready for work. He looked at her and thought for once his love life was actually on track. Wrapping up the paper and finishing his coffee, he put his scarf and coat on respectively. It was time for work.  
  
There were already people who had gathered in front of the assembly for protests and the police had been brought to contain them. The riots had just stopped maybe a few days before Christmas and looked like it would be back on again. They had a speech prepared already for Seaworth to make in the afternoon, a comment or a reaction so to speak, concerning the events that had unfolded. Seaworth was a good speaker, he knew how to sway the crowd and as the candidate running for presidency, this was now his first chance to openly criticize the head of the state. Jon had advised him to not to speak a word about Euron Greyjoy or his lapdogs until the moment they had exposed Baelish. This was going to be like an avalanche now. Some papers and news channels were already openly criticizing the president for having kept the frauds around for so long and making them richer during his reign. At the same time, there were preparations made in Targaryen Architecture for the ousting of Viserys Targaryen. He would be one of the names exposed as well, for colluding with Tyrell Corp. and Baratheon Foods on several matters. The company was getting ready to release a statement after the New Year’s, that Viserys Targaryen was voted out as managing partner and would be replaced by Rhaegar Targaryen as the new managing partner.   
  
It was good that both Jon and Dany had been able to take a few days off and recharge, because they were totally returning to chaos. What was it that Jon had said before about these types of situations? “ _Clusterfuck shitstorm.”_ it came to his mind and made him chuckle. All the higher-ups in the ministry already looked like they had seen a ghost and most of them were pale-white. These people knew that their reign in power had come to an end and they now feared the consequences of the endless torture they had put the people through. Times were changing and Oberyn was happy about it.  
  
Just when he settled into his office and made another cup of coffee for himself, there was a knock on the door. When he loudly said “ _Come in.”_ he noticed that it was actually his boss, Hoster Tully. This was a huge surprise because Mr. Tully would never come down to his office but Oberyn would be summoned to his for briefs and presentations. Realizing that this was an emergency, he immediately seated his boss, locked the door and took a seat himself. The old man luckily didn’t waste time with pleasantries and immediately got to the point.  
  
“ _Oberyn now I need confirmation that you personally haven’t been involved with any of these deals. Your family can get involved, even your politically clueless sister can get involved but you know that you cannot. Please tell me that you haven’t been involved in any of these leaks and even if your family has played any part in this, it is unbeknownst to you.”  
  
“Of course not sir, I know the policies very well. I cannot and will not interfere with any of this. In any case I don’t know about my father’s business either, therefore I have absolutely no idea about what has taken place or how this has happened at the first place.”  
  
“Very well, this was what I expected to hear. You know that you’re being held in high esteem in this office and despite these assholes are incompetent pieces of shit; they still respect you for who you are, because you actually get shit done. Now I want you to keep very quiet at least for a week about everything. No tweets whatsoever about the situation, no engaging with anyone online for a while. Just post the pictures of your cat or your girlfriend on instagram for a while if it is no trouble. We don’t want an investigation coming this way.”  
  
“Of course sir, whatever you wish.”  
  
“Good then. Now tell me your honest opinion about this shitstorm, because it looks like to me that Mr. President’s reign is nearing its end.”  
  
“I’m afraid I think so too, sir. This is quite the scandal.”  
  
“Do you think Seaworth would benefit from this and jump the opportunity?”  
  
“He would be a fool if he didn’t.”  
  
“Yeah, I think so too…”  
  
_***  
  
It had started even before he was back in King’s Landing. Jon knew what was happening was for the good of the country but still, it maybe could have waited for two more days so he got to spend more alone time with Dany. She was also enthusiastically browsing through the online news and twitter. This was what the people had been waiting for many many years. After so many days away from work, Jon’s mind started racing again. There was the speech Jaime and co. handled and then finally the big clip they had worked on would be released today. This was an exciting day about work for sure. Before he got lost in all of the work stuff, he held Dany under his arm. She was still reading the news but then turned to him and gave him a kiss.  
  
“ _You know what, since you don’t need to go to work today and I will need to handle things from home, say at least until 6 pm, do you mind being around while I’m working? There is nothing you don’t know anyway, plus we can both watch the speech and the video premiere together?”_  
 _  
“Did you just ask me on a work date?”  
  
“Not really. I asked you to stay home on a home-office day.”  
  
“Ah true, there was this thing about us living together. You know that we still need to tell my parents about it, right?”  
  
“Very much aware of that. I was thinking just to send a text to your mom and be done with I--- argh”  
  
_She had hit him in the arm playfully before he was able to complete the sentence. It was their cue for the flight so they quickly rose from their seats and walked to their gate. It was another three hours back to King’s Landing so plenty of time to discuss what and how they would do things, once they were back home. Their home. Jon loved the thought and it made him feel more powerful. As long as Dany wasn’t away and he could hold her through the night, the next morning would be better. He knew it in his heart and now he was sure that she knew it too. Still, the next few months were going to be really bizarre so he tried his best to mentally prepare himself for the storm to come.  
  
“ _You know I was thinking if we could drop by my parents’ place so I drop the summer clothes and get actual stuff to get me throughout the week? Meanwhile it gives both us and them the time and space to deal with what’s happening. In any case if you are standing there with me while we talk, they won’t argue or disagree.”  
  
“Or you know, I could just say that we discussed that we want to move in together and we will try for a while at my current place?”  
  
“I don’t know, I don’t feel ready to break the news to them yet. The idea scares me and I don’t know how they will react.”  
  
“If there is one thing I learned from the time I spent with you and your parents, they appreciate honesty and on point execution. Especially your father is a big fan of that. Plus you’re terrible when it comes to postponing things. If you stall, they will think something is wrong and then will push you to talk and we know how that turns out.”  
  
_There was a brief silence and Dany was looking at him intently. She scratched her head and thought for a moment before speaking.  
  
“ _Does it really happen that way when I just postpone something, that I’m trying to figure out?”  
  
“It does. Because you never specify anything once you postpone. Say you told me that we cannot meet today; you actually never tell me when we can. You just say we can’t and leave it like that. That’s rather nerve breaking I have to say, so no, we won’t do that with your parents. Let me do the talking this time and just look supportive. If I have you by my side, I’ll get through that. I’m absolutely sure of it.  
  
“Have I ever told you that you are the most wonderful man in this world?”  
  
“You have, but it feels good to hear it every now and then.”  
  
_Once their plane landed, Dany called her mom to tell that they were coming by. The distance from the airport to their place was almost the same from the distance from Evenstar to his parents’ and it had taken them an hour and fifteen minutes to get there. Jon fucking hated the traffic but he needed to stay calm and actually get through with this explanation without stressing too much. A show of weakness and the old man would question his motives, so he did his best to not to get upset during the time they were stuck in traffic.  
  
Once they reached the flat and got inside, Dany immediately went to her room to drop some clothes and pack some more, at least for a week. Jon meanwhile handled the chit-chat and enjoyed a cup of the mulled wine Rhaella had made because it was New Year’s Eve. Once Dany was done with all the clothes and stuff and finally was in the living room, he knew that the time was right.  
  
“ _There is something that we’d like to tell you guys.”  
  
_ ***  
  
She was so excited and stressed. Her mind was racing and her insides felt like there was a war going on in there. Jon looked calm and calculated almost. One could say that his game face was on, but then at the same time he looked sincere and convincing in the way he spoke. He was giving a brief explanation about how they actually reached this point and he would soon conclude his little speech.  
  
“ _…therefore we decided that it was much easier that way and actually better for both of us. It’s comforting enough and it gives us the time and space with each other, because clearly when we don’t have that, things go sour and I’m sure nobody in this room wants things to go sour. This was the main reason we rushed to Tarth so she could meet my parents as well.”  
  
_ There was a brief silence, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable. Dany first looked at her mother, who was smiling. Then she turned to her father, who looked rather weird but it wasn’t necessarily in a negative way. It felt like hours had passed until her father finally spoke but when he did, it felt good.  
  
“ _This is fine by me, if that is what you want. However we’d like you two to visit once a week for dinner.”  
  
_ Jon was quick to reply to that.  
  
“ _I’d be more than fine with that. I feel very comfortable here with you.”  
  
“That’s good. Plus, we watch one Wolves game altogether, once a month.”  
  
_This time it was Dany who responded. _  
  
“Deal.”  
  
_ This was happening for real. This man, this wonderful man who loved her and cared for her had now swooped in and actually charmed her parents as well. Convinced them that it was a good idea that they lived together. She wouldn’t think in a million years that her father would so easily approve the idea that she would move away. He had even offered to pay for the university so that she would stay in King’s Landing, instead of going to Harrenhall. Dany had eventually decided that staying in King’s Landing was the smarter decision and it actually had turned out to be. Now after so many years, she was moving away from the house she grew up in. She had come here as a little girl but was leaving a fully confident, grown woman, who knew what she was doing.   
  
When they entered Jon’s apartment, no _their_ apartment, Dany felt in peace. Jon immediately gave her the spare keys he had prepared for her. They put her bags to the guest room and left it like that for the time being. This wasn’t the time to settle anything. This was the time to enjoy being alone together, living together and they would do that. They would make love in every corner of the flat, on every floor, every carpet, by each table and on every bed and couch. They wouldn’t stop until they were both sour, Dany knew it but first it was time to turn on the tv for some business.

  
***  
  
“ _Our country’s future is at risk. This reign of incompetence, favoritism and money-grubbing has to be stopped. For years now, these companies have been the cornerstones of the rapidly declining Westerosi economy. Everyone was proudly talking about how the debt had been paid to the Iron Bank of Braavos, but at this point, as the people of this nation, we find ourselves in the deep and dark woods of crisis land. While the government continuously bragged about giving to the people, they couldn’t even give basic human help to our people. Our people are poor, they are suffering from lack of food, even in The Reach, the breadbasket of this country, the food is scarce. And where was Baratheon foods when this happened? Apparently conspiring with Petyr Baelish to get richer, while the people suffered? This is unacceptable in the eyes of our people, in the eyes of whole Westeros. This will be a difficult situation to reverse and fix, but I want our nation to know that the tide has turned and the future is bright. We will work with our people, for a better tomorrow.”  
  
_ Jon listened to the speech very carefully. It was well crafted, not all too detailed for this was to be a brief response to the events that transpired. Now the real game was beginning and he couldn’t help but feel a little bit excited about it. He had noticed that Dany was watching it intently as well. She was nodding by the end of the speech and once it was over, she turned to Jon.  
  
“ _Excellent speech. This was brief but to the point. Just like how you handle your business.”  
  
“Jaime and I thought this was to be the clear approach. Be serious, be direct, straight to business and don’t drown anyone in the details. That’s for the later times, if actually Greyjoy is stupid enough to go on a live debate with him.”  
  
“Nice! I like how you guys planned it out. You have quite the political mind, though you don’t like it that much, I can tell.”  
  
“I don’t think anyone who does such things really enjoys it, but then again some people might, I have absolutely no idea about what they think. This is a one and only thing for me. I’m doing it for the insane paycheck that I’ll get out of this.”  
  
“It’s only for a few more months anyway. Come April, you’ll be done with this whole thing so you can focus on the stuff you want to do. I sadly, don’t have that chance you know.”  
  
“And why wouldn’t you? Don’t you think Rhaegar is competent enough to handle the business by himself?”  
  
“He could, but then again he would need help with it now that Viserys will be gone within a week. He can’t always be there for everything and he hasn’t been able to be since Aegon was born. So that’s a tad bit difficult.”  
  
“In that case maybe you could focus on that after returning to work? This would be a good transitional time for him and especially now that you don’t have to play by Viserys’ rules, it should be all fine.”  
  
“True, this could work. If Rhaegar really manages to take full leadership, then I necessarily don’t have to work there. Still I would need the money from somewhere and freelancing wouldn’t cut it.”  
  
“You have shares right? You could always sell your shares to him. If I were to step away from the company, I would either sell my stock to Jaime or if Jaime insists on a partner then to Sam, because he would be the obvious choice.”  
  
“Dunno if dad would approve that, but oh hey look. It’s this famous video of yours. Let’s be quiet for a while.”  
  
_The video was around four minutes. Jon hadn’t overseen how the music would support the visuals all that carefully but he had an idea about what would be published. He had to admit that both Jaime and Gendry had done an excellent job with the planning and editing. It looked very good. The messages that the short video was giving were really well placed. He would definitely need to watch it again and pay attention to little details this time. Suddenly he was awakened from his thoughts by a kiss. When he turned to Dany, there were tears in her eyes.  
  
“ _Jon it’s beautiful. Not the video, I don’t care that much about it, but the music. It tore my heart apart. You practically compressed everything you felt into that piece. How? How was it possible even?”  
  
“I guess when everything crumbles on you and all you have is hope, that’s how it works. At that time everything was shit, I don’t even want to remember it but I had hope. I had hope that dad would be okay, the country would be fine, all that stress would be slowly gone and we would have each other. That’s what I hoped and I’m somehow glad that you felt at least some of it.”  
  
“No, you’re wrong. I felt it all. You’re good with words, I need to give it to you but you are even better with music. Those four minutes told me more than four months. I love you for the man you are, I so do love you. Please promise me once we leave this shitstorm behind, you will compose something peaceful. Please?”  
  
“Alright, I promise.”  
  
_Then they turned the tv off and just made love, like they wanted to. Every corner of the flat they desired, they took it. Jon finally lost himself in her love for him and it was the best thing he had ever experienced. They went on and on, until neither of them could stand straight anymore. He felt drained but was sure that she was too. They were lazily lying on his bed and he was playing with her hair when he heard the small beep from his watch, he kissed her once more.  
  
“ _Happy New Year my love. I love you so much.”  
  
_ ***  
  
The week had been hectic. Arya would hit Jon’s office early in the morning, put Lyanna Mormont to work on the animations, attend meetings, have lunch with Jon, Jaime and Sam, then get back to work, make sure Gendry did the edits in the right way and pretend to leave separately with him, only to meet him at his place and then fuck his brains out until she couldn’t. At least there was some joy to be found in it. Petyr Baelish was caught in the Fingers and brought to justice, while Robert Baratheon and the Tyrell family were being investigated by the federal bureau. Euron Greyjoy’s hands were tied and if he even tried to make a move, the military had made it clear that they would forcibly remove Greyjoy from power. The unit called Golden Company would take care of the task, if required. Arya certainly hoped it didn’t come to that, because a democratic vote was definitely necessary for the tide to completely turn in their favor.  
  
Jon had given her his own office so that was quite the comfort. Arya didn’t have to interact with majority of the people working for Jon and Jaime. Sam was nice enough to work with, since he understood the basic principles of the job rather well. Once Jon was back from his meeting however, she was going to need to ask him about Gendry and whether she could take him up North. Just when she was getting lost in her thoughts, there was a knock on the door and Dany came in.   
  
“ _Oh hi, I wasn’t expecting to see you here. Jon has given you his office?”  
  
“Yep. He thought it would be more comfortable since I do the desk job and he’s out there in the meetings mostly.”  
  
“Well thought out. Everything is going fine right? According to the papers, it looks like it at least.”  
  
“Sure, the first polls are coming in today so we’ll know more. But hey listen, there are things that I’d like to talk with you so, care to sit down?”  
  
“Sure, I’m all ears.”  
  
“I need to apologize for my behavior at the hospital. I lashed out way too much because I was concerned and I thought the blame lied with you. You didn’t see Jon in his own flat at that state. Oberyn was shit worried too and though he kept his cool, I just couldn’t. I cannot lose Jon and well maybe I’ll tell you the reasons when the time comes and if you put a lot of vodka in me, but that’s another story for another time. I’d like to make sure that we’re okay, because for the first, I’m really sorry and the second is that I don’t want things to be weird between us and Jon to get stuck in between.”  
  
“It’s okay between us. Water under the bridge.”  
  
“Seriously?”  
  
“Yep. Look Arya, he became the centerpiece of my life. We live together now and it has been fantastic. This was what I needed from life the whole time. He made me okay so we are okay. You have my word.”  
  
“Alright good, because I’m going to need your help with some convincing.”  
  
“Listening?”  
  
“You know his assistant, Gendry right?”  
  
“Uhm, was he the one with raven black hair and blue eyes?”  
  
“That one.”  
  
“Then yes I know who he is. Rather a clueless dude about social affairs but Jon told me that he was good at his job.”  
  
“He’s fine alright. I need him for the social affairs though.”  
  
“Interesting.”  
  
_“ _We’ve been sleeping together for a while now and Jon doesn’t know about it. I had told him about the possibility and he just told me to do it wherever he can’t see. He can’t encourage me to do it ethically so I’m a little worried that he might get upset with me when he finds out and don’t say if, because he always finds out.”  
  
“Well, you have kept it out of his sight until now, right? Then it’s no problem. But I’m wondering, aren’t you heading to Winterfell next week and won’t return for at least a month?”  
  
“That’s correct. I was hoping that he would send Gendry with me up north. He really takes a lot of load off my back for sure and gods, the sex is great that I don’t want to stay away from him.”_  
  
Dany chuckled at that statement and Arya could see the sincerity behind her look. The olive branch had seemingly worked and apparently the honesty card was quite important with her. She was quite like Jon in this case. “ _Be clear, be direct and ask for what you want_.” Jon always told her when it came to the matters of his helping.   
  
“ _If he’s helping you a lot with work, then you can ask from Jon that Gendry comes with you to Winterfell to supervise the project. Do you think anyone can handle Gendry’s work for the project in here? Then you would have a replacement fixed so it would be okay.”  
  
“I don’t know. I guess little Lyanna Mormont could handle Gendry’s job but then again apparently Jon had told her she was to go to Winterfell, because she called and asked me like three times if she was to leave for Winterfell. I unfortunately told her that if Jon said so, then that would be the case. Shit. I guess I’ll be stuck in Winterfell with her, instead of banging Gendry.”  
  
“Anything you can give to that girl in exchange for staying here? I mean she’s in the animation part mainly, right? Jon had told me as much. Maybe you give her a paid internship after the elections?”  
  
“I could totally try that. Hold on, let me invite her here to ask about things. Please play along will you?”_

_  
“Sure.”  
  
_ Five minutes later little Lyanna Mormont was in the office. She looked a bit upset, apparently she wanted to work for the campaign and then try her chances at Arya’s Harrenhall office. Still she had said that _Mr. Snow’s word_ was final and if he said so, then she would take Gendry’s role here. Dany had interfered on her behalf and told her about the fact that if she worked here in the center of everything, it would be better for her résumè because Jon would be the one under the spotlight. The young woman hadn’t left very satisfied with the offer but still, Arya had faith in the situation. Then Dany had told Arya that maybe a pay-raise would do the trick for more motivation. In any case Dany’s help was going to be necessary so Arya wasn’t a hundred percent sure about the outcome. Then finally Jon arrived and he was in a rather serious mood.  
  
“ _Okay so get this, little Lyanna Mormont comes to me and tells me that you wanted to sign Gendry for Winterfell, instead of her. Now I gave her my word that she would go to the Winterfell gig, but I need an honest to god explanation here so I can actually reason with the situation. So I’m listening.”  
  
“Uhm Jon, err… Gendry has been really helpful with work and I was wondering if instead of Mormont, he could come with me to Winterfell so we could speed things up?”  
  
“Helpful just at work, or in the bedroom as well?”  
  
_She was caught and she knew it. There would be no point in denying that now. Just when she was about to open her mouth to confess and apologize about the situation, Dany interfered.  
  
“ _You know love, you’ve had a stressful meeting and we still have a reservation for dinner so we should get going. Would you maybe want to have a few drinks and then sleep on it before you make a decision?”  
  
_ Arya couldn’t believe her eyes. Not that Dany had just interfered on her behalf, Jon suddenly looked softer. Like his original-self, not work crazy, super-ethical Jon. He then turned to her and looked at her with warm eyes.  
  


“ _I cannot approve it ethically, but work-wise I will think of it and come up with an answer.”  
  
_ With that, they said goodbye and left but Arya was still speechless about how Dany was able to sooth Jon’s sudden anger with only a couple of sentences and a smile. At that point she was sure that Jon had found the right person for himself and she hoped that he would allow her to do things her way to decide whether Gendry was the right person for her. He had been kind, nice, caring and definitely satisfying in bed so she was really hoping that Jon would see things the way she saw them.  
  
***  
  
Jon hadn’t calmed down during the ride to the restaurant. He wasn’t necessarily fuming with anger maybe, but still was visibly upset. Dany thought it was best to not to say anything and just comfort him for a while. She knew once they sat down and start eating, he would cool down and maybe talk about it. “ _He must have specifically told her not to, or just to keep it away from his sight but then she accidentally rubbed it in his face. That’s why he’s upset.”_ she thought to herself, while observing him during the ride. She knew what to say to him and get him out of this sour mood and make him stop brooding. That made her notice that since they started living together she was now becoming more aware of his needs, understanding what bugged him and helped him ease out of situations. That sparked a little satisfaction in her heart so she pecked him on the cheek.  
  
 _“What was that for?”  
  
“For being you.”  
  
“I sense an ulterior motive here.”  
  
“Can’t your girlfriend just give you a kiss out of nowhere?”  
  
“Of course you can but---“  
  
“There are no buts. I kissed you because I wanted to.”  
  
_Then he turned around and kissed her. Dany knew he could keep that conversation going forever if he wanted to, but clearly he was easing into the situation. She put her head on his shoulder until they reached their destination. She was really hoping that this was helping his sour mood, because sometimes when he was upset, it took a long time for him to get back to normal. Dany needed him to be normal.  
  
Once they were seated in the restaurant, Dany noticed that little Lyanna Mormont was also at the place. She wondered why everybody was calling her little, because she was taller than both her and Arya, but it was the age as she was apparently ten years younger than Dany. Noticing her boss was around, she immediately came by to their table, but clearly Jon wouldn’t have any of it at that moment.  
  
“ _The answer is no Lyanna. This is out of business hours, therefore there will be no discussion.”  
  
“Oh okay. I just wanted to drop by and say hi and to enjoy your meal. My stupid boyfriend always got jealous because I keep running my mouth about the office and then I talk about you and Mr. Lannister and so on.”  
  
“You should maybe talk about Mr. Tarly more often? He’s the one who is single after all, it would drive your stupid boyfriend more insane?”  
  
_The young woman in front of her probably did have a secret crush on both Jon and Jaime but she looked very amused and couldn’t help laughing at the humor shown by Jon. He was getting back to normal, Dany noticed so she chose not to interfere. Just before she bid them a nice evening, Jon stopped her.  
  
“ _And by the way Lyanna; you will go to Winterfell, because I had said the word. However you won’t be there for the whole month. You and Gendry will do weekly shifts there. It will be more travel for you, but you know that the company pays the tickets, so I’m guessing that’s fine by you?”  
  
“Your word is final Mr. Snow. If you had told me to stay here for the month, then I would have stayed. In any case this is more exciting because it will give me new environments to work in. Thank you so much.”  
  
“No problem. You too enjoy your meal and send my greetings to your idiot boyfriend.”  
  
_With a stupid grin on her face, Lyanna Mormont left for her own table and finally they were alone.  
  
“ _So you had come up with a solution already. Was that the reason for the brooding on the way here?”  
  
“Kinda yes. If I hadn’t told this little girl who still has dreams in the industry that she was going, then it was no problem. Not only didn’t Arya rub things to my face, things that I specifically wanted her to keep out of my sight, she also put me in a difficult situation. Okay, I may be the boss, but still I need to be fair towards people. I think this execution was rather fair. Arya doesn’t fully get her way and little Lyanna at least gets some experience in Winterfell. Plus, I’m going to urge Arya to give her a contract, depending on her performance in this project.”  
  
“I think that’s all good. I would have handled it in a similar way if I were the boss. Then again I hope that I never have to handle anything like this ever in my life. By the way, is Lyanna a common Northern name? Then again I only know your mother and Mormont are the only people with the name, so dunno if this was a meaningless question.”  
  
_Jon had chuckled at that remark and made sure that it wasn’t stupid. Then he went on to explain how the big Northern families were close to each other and similar sort of naming had been done in the past as well. At that point Dany understood that he was using this as means of drifting away from the Arya talk. She wasn’t sure whether to push the situation or just let Jon get to the subject on his own. Then she remembered that if not intervened, Jon could sulk about things in his corner and eventually give up. Arya had told her so much, so she decided to playfully give it a go.  
  
“ _So all this naming talk wasn’t by any means used as a way of drifting away from the subject you wanted to avoid?”  
  
_ He was caught and his face showed it too. He luckily didn’t push things too much or wasn’t necessarily stubborn about keeping it to himself.  
  
“ _No, I would have eventually got there but maybe this speeds things up a bit. I have nothing against Arya having something going on with Gendry. I told her to keep it away from my eyes and she rubbed it into my face, that’s why I’m upset. In a weird way, I kinda think that they are perfect for each other and wouldn’t actually consider interfering in any case. Still, Arya won’t see it the way I see it and when she hears of my decision with the schedule, she will take it as punishment and be upset with me.”  
  
“Uhm, you’re always direct and clear with me when you’re expressing things. How about being direct and clear with Arya too? If you said these exact words, I’m quite sure that she wouldn’t be upset with you. You don’t have to play games with her either, just be you and that shall be enough.”  
  
“Dany…”  
  
“No, I don’t want any arguments here. You, yourself as a person are a wonderful human being. You’re kind, generous, just and fair. You don’t cross anyone unless they are begging for it. This isn’t crossing Arya either. This is something under your authority and you are making a reasonable decision. So tell her what you told me, in the exact same manner with using the exact same words and both of you shall be fine.”  
  
“Alright, that does make sense. I’ll do this.”  
  
_With that, they went back to their meal and drinks. It was a fine, fine evening and this was now their standard. Dany was so used to the idea of them being together that neither she could picture herself away from Jon, nor wanting to be away from him. It was all fine now and would continue getting better with time, she knew it.  
  
***  
  
If Davos Seaworth was the face of the new era, Jon Snow was certainly the sound of thunder behind him. Seaworth was coming strong and it showed in the polls. The first polls were in his favor 58-42 and he only needed 50,01 to win the damn thing. Oberyn knew that his father, Jon Arryn and Randyll Tarly would make sure of it. The ongoing investigation with Robert Baratheon had been pleasing enough so far, that Baratheon Foods was losing market shares badly. Soon they would be open for client poaching and eventually become vulnerable enough for a hostile takeover.   
  
Meanwhile, Baelish’s arrest was all over the news. With that Tyrell Corp. had declared bankruptcy and would retreat from the market. With the pieces coming together, Oberyn poured himself a glass of scotch and waited for Ellaria to come by so they could get the fuck out of this damned office. When he picked up his phone to kill time and see what has been going on, he noticed the text message from Rhaegar Targaryen. This had to be something important; otherwise he wouldn’t text him at all.  
  
“ _He’s not going to go down quietly. We might need a little help with burying him to the ground.”  
  
_ Oberyn had half-expected this from Viserys Targaryen. After a few years of shared power, he had finally claimed the company as his own and immediately had turned his back on his family. “ _What an asshole.”_ he thought. Neither he, nor his friends would ever do that to their own family. Then he replied with just two sentences.  
  
“ _Let Jon take care of it. He will enjoy that.”  
  
_ The response was quick enough.  
  
“ _I’m sure he will, because so will I.”  
  
_ ***  
  
Home.  
  
This was their home. Their sacred place, where nobody dared to interfere or interrupt what they had. It was their getaway from the outside world. The apartment was maybe twenty-five years old and Jon had lived in it for more than fifteen, but the feeling in it was new. It felt fresh, relieving and comforting. He didn’t know much about the idea of being comforted, or calmed down. Nobody dared approaching him when he was fuming or when they could sense that he was about to explode. But then Dany had done it with calming words, her touch and kisses.  
  
He knew that he had reached a solid and just conclusion with Arya. He didn’t feel like he had the right to interfere in her personal life, but at that moment it had intersected with his business and that had made him furious. He had always managed to keep Arya safe from all the troubles, even when she was forcefully taken away. He trusted that she would be fine and thought maybe he was overreacting a little bit. Then again Arya of all people knew that when he specifically asked for something, it was important and he had meant it for a reason.  
  
He didn’t pay attention to what was happening on tv, Dany had been watching this debate and she was tweeting at the same time. Jon smiled while watching her do her thing and finally turned off his computer to join her for a while. Now it was the weekend and they didn’t have to do shit. Jon hugged Dany from behind, made her leave her phone and completely distracted her from the tv. She looked at him with a smile on her face and shining eyes.   
  
“ _You know what, this was the best decision we’ve made so far.”  
  
“I couldn’t agree more. I have my space with you and I love it when we’re isolated from the outside world together. It makes me leave all the troubles of work and other things behind when I enter the apartment. It’s such a relief. I didn’t have that when I was still with my parents or even when I escaped to Rhaegar’s flat.”  
  
“This is your home now. Not just yours, but ours. Our home. It feels great to say that, if you ask me.”  
  
“Can’t agree more with that. But now mister, you’ll need to hold me during the game and show me some love if things go sour.”  
  
“Things won’t go sour but you’ll get your love. As my queen commands.”  
  
“So I’m not a princess anymore?”  
  
“No, queen felt more right to be honest. My queen.”  
  
_With that, Dany pressed her back to his chest and he held her. They would cheer, curse, drink a bit and show each other how much they loved being together. Once the game was won and done with, Jon carried Dany to their bed for a well-deserved celebration. Work was fine, there was more hope for the country and they had finally settled in to the stable flow of life which they had craved for a long while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I'd like to thank each and every one of you who has supported this story from the beginning. Thank you all so much for reading and commenting and giving kudos! 
> 
> I'm hoping to release the next chapter soon enough, if everything goes well. Still, my schedule will be tough for one more week and only after then I could pick up the pace once again.
> 
> Now I haven't decided on the total number of chapters to be honest. My first outline pointed at 20, but there is no way that I'll be able to wrap up the remaning events of the story in the next two chapters, therefore more will follow!
> 
> Once again, thank you all for the support!


	19. Taking Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon plans a getaway with Dany and confronts Arya. Viserys gets cornered and Rhaegar is forced to reconsider things. Meanwhile Oberyn has plans brewing for the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! This chapter was rather fun to write down, because it was climactic on a few plot points that had been brewing since the earlier chapters.
> 
> This chapter again contains verbal abuse, therefore a minor warning on that part.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

His phone was buzzing with notifications. With the video finally hitting social media, his follower count on twitter and instagram had skyrocketed. He decided to turn the notifications off so his phone wouldn’t die and leave him hanging when it was necessary. He was drinking his coffee and waiting for Dany’s alarm clock to ring and reading what was going on in the country. He was hoping that they could either take Friday off or work from home if necessary so they could use a little getaway.   
  
Ever since he had suggested Dragonstone as a New Year’s getaway to Dany, he had been searching for hotels and houses there. The population was little, but due to the ports, the trade was lively enough and the residents of the island were certainly on the wealthier side. Not necessarily old or young, majority of the property owners were mainly from King’s Landing but used it as a getaway so they were absent most of the year. The ferry took about two hours, while the flight itself was only half an hour long. Jon thought it was close enough to King’s Landing, so in case of an emergency, they could be back almost immediately. He so wanted to do a getaway there, so he could see Dany’s reaction about the place.  
  
The idea had been brewing in his mind ever since they took the trip to Tarth. The peace and calm had affected them positively and they were still running high on positivity thanks to that trip. Jon knew that they needed to refresh and recharge before it would become chaotic, because he knew that the last forty-five days of the campaign always was. Davos would start his rallies, visit all around the country from the Arbor to Hardhome. The polls were going strong on Seaworth’s favor and the campaign had been successful so far. That didn’t necessarily meant that his workload was easing up, but they would be able to maintain some sort of cruise mode, up until the start of the rallies. Davos had told him that he would start from Cape Wrath, the place of his birth. It was almost a sure thing that he would sweep the Stormlands, the Vale and Dorne. Still, he would need to win both in King’s Landing and Harrenhal for the sure thing. He was almost sure that Davos would be dominant in King’s Landing, but Harrenhal was a little different and it could always sway towards the unlikely candidate. That was how Jon Arryn had won in the local elections and luckily he was on their side.  
  
He heard Dany’s alarm starting to ring and made his way to the bedroom. “ _Time to wake up, my queen.”_ he whispered and kissed her. Just as Dany would moan and ask for five more minutes, he lifted her into his arms and continued kissing her. Dany couldn’t even complain when he woke her up like this so she immediately curled into his arms and nuzzled his neck.  
  
“ _I love it when you wake me up like this, but then again I would like it better if we didn’t have to go to work.”  
  
“Well then, let me inform you that I’m doing my best to take tomorrow off for both of us, so we can use the weekend as a getaway.”  
  
“Mmm and where would we go to? Not Tarth again I assume?”  
  
“No, not Tarth. I’ve been looking at places in Dragonstone. There are nice hotels and during this season people barely ever go there. I thought it would be nice to have some calm and peace before it’s gung-ho in here.”  
  
“That does sound nice. Though I’m not sure if I can actually take tomorrow off, because we’ve had problems with Viserys at the office. Let me have coffee first and then I’ll fill you in about that.”  
  
_Once they were by the table and Dany was having his coffee, Jon quickly checked his phone once more. There was an unread text from Rhaegar Targaryen. Jon was quite surprised because it was just 9 in the morning and whenever Rhaegar contacted him for work reasons; it was quite often around lunch break because nobody would bother him with any questions at that point.  
  
“ _He’s resisting. I need your help to bury him to the ground.”  
  
_ That was a surprise. The caffeine was just kicking in for Dany but surely Jon was going to need to tell her about it. He quietly turned the phone towards her so she could read the message herself. She looked cold and a little bit angry. She was probably hoping to keep Jon out of this family mess as much as possible but if his help was necessary, he was ready to help.  
  
“ _I don’t like this at all. He should have been able to handle it within the family. He cannot come to you to ask for help every time he struggles. He needs to learn about managing this firm. Neither me, nor you can’t do it for him all the time.”  
  
“Well, in that case how about we do it like this? We take on him together, either this evening after I’m done at the office, or we crush him tomorrow and then take our small vacation as a celebration?”  
  
“I don’t want to reason with Rhaegar on this. He seriously needs to figure out what he needs to do to run this company like it should be run. If he’s the managing partner and I end up doing all his work, then why is he even carrying the title?”  
  
“Do you want to be the managing partner?”  
  
“Fuck no. I want him to know how to manage on his own so I can get the hell away from that company I had to work for because there were no other options and because my dad gave me shares.”  
  
“Alright then, so we do it this way. I arrange with Rhaegar that we take care of the issue this evening, right after I’m done at work. I’ll be done around 4 pm so with the ride to your office, should be around by 5 pm. We corner Viserys, I put the screws on him, you kick his ass and then we leave for three days. Meanwhile tell Rhaegar that you cannot always be there like the past few months. Seemingly he also got used to it and I won’t take it. If you don’t tell him, then I will. I won’t let anyone bully you into doing their bidding.”  
  
“You really are the love of my love. Let’s do it. Let’s kick his ass and then take a well-deserved vacation.”  
  
_Jon was satisfied with how the conversation turned out. He liked it when Dany started showing her strength. Them being together and living together had started erasing all her insecurities one by one. Still, he had his own personal issues that needed confronting. If they were to leave for Dragonstone tomorrow, then he’d need to deal with the Arya situation today as well. It was going to be a long day so first he texted Arya.  
  
“ _2 pm. My office. We’ll discuss plans for Winterfell. Don’t be late.”  
  
_ Then he switched to the conversation with Rhaegar.  
  
“ _5 pm, your office. Make sure Viserys stays. Dany and I will come and make him sign the release papers. Then we take off for Dragonstone tomorrow morning so you’ll cover for her tomorrow. Deal?”  
_  
The response from Rhaegar was very quick.  
  
“ _Deal.”  
  
_ ***  
  
There was no avoiding this beating. Jon was going to slam her from wall to wall and he wasn’t going to go easy on her. She felt that she had deserved it. Whenever she had to look at Lyanna Mormont, Jon’s anger came to her mind and she couldn’t focus. Now that he was clear with his motives and he had set the time. It was inevitable at this point. She turned to Gendry, who was still in bed, but was checking his mail.  
  
“ _I’m getting the inevitable beat down from Jon today. Wish me luck.”  
  
“Do you want me to come and stand with you throughout? I can take it from him, I’ve seen his dark side.”  
  
“Oh no, you haven’t seen shit. This will get ugly and you being there will only make things worse. He’ll smash you for trying to be a hero and then you won’t be able to look at him in the eyes for a while and you’ll still need to work for him on a daily basis.”  
  
“Still, there must be something I can do for you. Anything please. Tell me what to do.”  
  
“Just comfort me now and as I said; wish me luck. All I can do at this point is that Dany managed to sooth him a little so that he doesn’t fully explode. None of you have seen that, I doubt even Dany has but there was this time back in Braavos, he literally went out of his mind and didn’t calm down for days.”  
  
“That sounds bad. I mean he’s generally pissed while working and he curses continuously but I know enough now to tell that it’s more serious when he’s not cursing or raising his voice.”  
  
“That’s true. If he looks calm and isn’t raising his voice, you’re totally fucked. If he’s ranting, you’re okay, he just needs to rant, but if he’s calm, then that means he’s putting the screws on you and when his voice is raised even so slightly, that’s the time you become his bitch. I don’t know how he manages it but it’s seriously insane. Oberyn always said that Jon would make an excellent diplomat and I think I’m only getting it now.”  
  
_She quickly dressed herself once the conversation was over. The stress was growing in her and the one person who had stood by her throughout all these shit years was disappointed with her. This was going to be terrible. She wouldn’t take it from anyone, it would be really easy to punch back people but when it came to Jon, she was defenseless and she hated it. He would never rub the past into her face, but his concerns were there and he had all the right in the world to smash her at this point. If only Lyanna Mormont hadn’t blabbed immediately to him, things would have been much easier. With those thoughts in her head, she left Gendry’s flat and made her way to the office.  
  
When she arrived, Jon still wasn’t there but Jaime was. He didn’t seem to be aware of her meeting with Jon because he was barking orders all around the place. Since Tarly’s money had been coming in, they had been able to hire more workers to get things done, but Jaime never seemed to be able to catch a break, because he was more often in need of following what was being done and if it was being done properly. He seemed really stressed and looked like he was in dire need of a holiday. When he saw her, he just waved and then turned to the secretary and continued with the numbers. She knew that between Jon and him, he was more on the corporate side of things, while Jon was the hard worker who maintained and monetized the work in the background. There was still half an hour before their meeting would start so she asked one of the stage workers if Jon had arrived.  
  
“ _Oh Mr. Snow arrived two hours ago but left for lunch with Mr. Tarly. They should be back soon, he cleared the office from two to four. Said that he had some important meeting.”  
  
_ Two hours. Two fucking hours. He really was going to go at it for long and he wasn’t going to hold back, that much was obvious now. This caused even more stress that she went outside for a cigarette. At that point she decided to call Val, because she really was in need of some encouragement before all the beating would begin.  
  
“ _Wow a call form Arya Stark during a Thursday afternoon. You seriously must be in deep shit. I’m just going back to my office so be quick about it. What’s wrong?”  
  
“Hello to you too. How did you figure out that I was deep shit? Am I that obvious?”  
  
“Yes you are. Now talk, because seriously once I enter the office it’s gonna be hell. I’m trying to take tomorrow off so Tormund and I can hit Three Sisters tomorrow and stay for the weekend.”  
  
“Ah, understood. Jon found out about Gendry last week and he’ll give me hell in about twenty-four minutes to be exact. Any advice?”  
  
“Do you expect it to be a short beating or a long one?”  
  
“He’s booked the office for two hours so…”  
  
“Oh, weather forecast says shitstorm, got it. The best you can do is to take it as long as you can. Then when he is done, promise that you won’t do it again, unless he gives you his blessing to continue.”  
  
“Don’t you think it’s unfair that he interferes with my personal life?”  
  
“I don’t think he sees it that way. He rather sees it that you interfered with his business and that’s why he got upset. Told you he would though, so try not arguing with him. You know it gets worse if you try to get back at him.”  
  
“That’s true. You know that Gendry offered to stand by me and take it from him? That was rather brave of him but I told him no.”   
  
“Well, that shows that he cares for you. Maybe mentioning that would be nice. Jon likes that sort of behavior, you know that.”  
  
“So much is true. Oh shit, he’s returning from lunch. I should get back inside and start waiting for the onslaught. Thanks Val!”  
  
_Jon had walked straight into the main office, without eye contact. Normally he would always come and hug her and then would ruffle her hair. Arya hated that he was pissed at her and hated it even more that she couldn’t do anything to fix things. It was going to be hell but apparently she had earned it, so she would take it.  
  
Exactly at 2 pm, Jon was in his office. He looked very calm, so that was bad. Arya would rather have him lash out loudly and be done with it, but apparently that wasn’t going to be the case. When he finally sat down to his chair, only then he looked her in the eye. This was the first eye contact they had in about a week and it didn’t feel warm. Just when she was about to open her mouth and start talking, he raised his hand to stop her. “ _Alright then_ ” she thought inwardly. He wasn’t going to let her make a case so she just waited.  
  
“ _I’m going to be brief and clear. My problem isn’t with what you’re doing or have done with Gendry, my problem is with the fact that you rubbed into my face when I specifically told you to keep it away from my sight. You’re a grown-ass woman and even if you weren’t, it’s not my position to tell you who to date. So once again and for the last time, I’m asking you to keep it away from people’s sight, until this business is done. Afterwards if anyone wants to say something about it, then they’ll need to face me beforehand. Are we clear until this point?”  
  
_ This was a surprise. There was absolutely no onslaught whatsoever. He was very clear, very direct and not angry at all. He had played her so badly that she couldn’t believe that she had actually fallen for it. Then she noticed that she needed to respond so she just nodded. He looked like he wanted to continue so she decided to not to interrupt.  
  
“ _Very well then. Now the point is I will need Gendry to be here during certain times, so I divided the schedule. He and Lyanna will do weekly shifts in Winterfell, with you supervising the production. Lyanna will take the first shift and you are to treat her nicely enough. Oversee her work, try to see if she’s worthy enough so maybe you later give her a position in the Harrenhall office. Tell her that this is a test-run of sorts for her, so she’ll take it very seriously. Gendry will come the week after and you’ll know what to do. By the way since you have your house there, we didn’t book a hotel room for Gendry, since I assumed he’ll stay with you?”  
  
_ She was stunned. This was totally the opposite of what she expected.  
  
“ _Jon…”  
  
“No, let me finish. As I said, I have nothing against you two seeing each other, or dating, or even just fucking. It’s not my business. The only thing is that I cannot encourage it or support it, as long as you both are working under my banner. Because I’ve seen workplace romances go to shit during a project and those have fucked up big time for us in the past. This is a job that we cannot have any errors; therefore it’s neither forbidden, nor encouraged. Once it leads to any sort of incompetency however, I’ll need to interfere and that’s something I don’t want to do with you. Understood?”  
  
“I thought an onslaught was coming and you were going to smash me into pieces. Something or someone must have changed your mind.”  
  
“If Dany hadn’t interfered last week, you would have probably ended up getting slaughtered in a very unpleasant way, I can assure you of that. However she managed to soften me up on the matter, so here we are. Everything clear, right?”  
  
“Yes. Totally. Thank you Jon, really thank you for letting me be.”  
  
“As I said, it’s not my place to decide for you. You’re a grown-ass woman and if you so want my opinion, I think you guys will be good together. But enough of that now, get the fuck out of my office and go pack, since you’re leaving tomorrow. Meanwhile I’m not to be disturbed during the weekend, since I’ll be away as well.”  
  
“Oh, where are you heading to?”  
  
“Dragonstone. A small getaway with Dany is really necessary before the rally begins. I’ll be back at work on Monday afternoon, so we’ll talk then.”  
  
“Alright, will keep this in mind. Thanks again Jon, I thought you were here to smash me and put me through the walls but, this was really unexpected.”  
  
“I’ve reserved my anger for someone else. Somebody’s gonna get their ass kicked.”  
  
_***  
  
Dany kept looking at the time.  
  
Now that she didn’t have to arrive early and leave late, she was rather flexible with her schedule. Sometimes she would call it a day around 3 pm, on other days she would work until 5 pm and when Jon would leave work early, she would do her best to get out as early as possible. Today however, was different. Jon was coming to her workplace for the first time. “ _If it were somewhere central, I would drop by very often.”_ he had told her. He wasn’t a big fan of driving and he absolutely refused the services of a driver when it wasn’t related to work. She understood his reasons, because the company building was almost near hell itself. It was too far away from the city and Dany hated it.  
  
Then again, Jon _was_ using the services of a driver today. Firstly he wanted to make good on time, secondly it was necessary for the looks. He was coming in to intimidate Viserys so he needed to look at his absolute best. She didn’t know what to expect, but sort of expected Jon to appear in the most brutish way possible. She knew it in her heart that he was going to enjoy intimidating Viserys and they would all enjoy finally getting to kick his ass.  
  
She checked the time again and it was ten to five. Then her phone buzzed and it was a text from Jon.  
  
“ _Will be there in 5. Ready for some sweet destruction?”  
  
“Can’t wait to see you. Been looking at the time since I came to the office.”  
  
“Soon my queen. Very soon.”  
  
_After that final text, she started looking outside from her office window. She knew that Tarly’s company had these intimidating big black cars for people who were important. Jon was rather important nowadays, so when one of those cars approached, her heartbeat quickened and she decided to rush down the stairs.  
  
When she finally made it to the main door, his driver was opening his door. He came out of the car as slowly as possible. He wore dark gray pants, supported with a black shirt and again a black jacket. “ _Black has always been my color.”_ he had told her when they first met. She also had started wearing darker clothes since they moved in together. She felt a rush through her body, because his game face was on and all she could think about was to get him back to his office and ravish him until her screams forced everyone out of the building. He gave her the tiniest of smiles and her insides were shaking. He just took her hand and continued walking indoors. The security had just moved towards them but once they saw him holding her hand, they immediately backed down. The way was immediately cleared for them and they made their way to the elevator.  
  
Once the doors closed, he passionately kissed her. Dany was so shocked that she couldn’t kiss him back for a brief moment and then her tongue requested permission to reach his and they connected. Right after breaking the kiss “ _I needed this before it all began.”_ he said in a husky voice. She was so turned on that she couldn’t see anything else and they were to barge into Viserys’ office to kick his ass. She was paralyzed and didn’t know how to behave. He then held her firmly and planted another kiss to her lips. “ _Focus now.”_ he whispered and started walking towards the office. But then she stopped him.   
“ _I need you to promise me that once we get out of here, you will ravish me for the night.”  
  
“You have my word.”  
  
_With that, they walked towards the office. Dany had thought for a moment about knocking on the door, but Jon had other plans. He just barged in while Rhaegar and Viserys were arguing. This was a familiar sight to her; then again Rhaegar had started being on the winning side recently, so she didn’t bother that much. Once they noticed Jon was in the room, they stopped. Rhaegar looked at them and smiled. Viserys however, was totally clueless and was trying to understand the situation. He pointed at Jon but was certainly having difficulties with forming a sentence. Finally he was able to blurt out a simple sentence, to which Rhaegar started laughing.  
  
“ _What is this Northern brute doing here?”  
  
_ Jon’s expression didn’t change. He calmly took something from the inside pocket of his jacket and put it onto the table. It was a paper bag. Then it all came back to Dany.  
  
“ _I probably don’t think we’ll see each other again but if we do, please fill me in about how it feels to be in bed with Robert Baratheon. I promise to bring a bag to hurl into.”  
  
_ Dany couldn’t hold her laughter and completely roared at the humor. He had made a fool out of Viserys during the ball and he was here to keep his promise. He kept staring at Viserys calmly and then extended his hand to Rhaegar, who handed him the papers which Viserys was meant to sign. He would sign them and be gone. Out of the company, out of their lives. Forever.  
  
“ _Not so easily Snow. I will gladly expose my niece here before going down. I still have the video. I will leak it for everyone to see. Expose her for the incompetent piece of shit that she is.”  
  
_ Dany was breathless. She hadn’t thought about this and was about to start panicking. But then she saw the anger in Jon’s eyes. This was now going to get ugly.  
  
“ _And to whom do you plan to expose her to? Her father, who knows and only sees it as a momentary lapse? To the Tyrells who are bankrupt? To Robert Baratheon, who is currently under investigation? To Petyr Baelish who was your main connection to the press but is now in jail? You have no power, no authority and if you continue like this, you’ll have no money left either. You will sign the damn paper, put your belongings into a box, go home, pack and fuck off to Pentos to NEVER RETURN AGAIN.”  
  
_ There was deadly silence in the room. Rhaegar’s face was as serious as it could get. She couldn’t find the will inside her to smile either. Hate and rage had filled her. All those years of bullying, pressure, mockery had brought her to this moment. Viserys was a bully and Jon was bullying him back right in front of her eyes. She couldn’t help but feel the satisfaction and she had a gut feeling that Jon wasn’t going to stop there.  
  
“ _There are bank records and statements of your collusion with the Tyrells. Same could be said for you and Robert Baratheon as well. Did you promise him your nephew’s wife too? You are a disgrace to this family, this family of wonderful people. You are an incompetent piece of shit, who pretends to be a bully but is nothing more than a coward. So you will sit the fuck down, sign the goddamn document and this will end right here. Or you know, since you colluded with Petyr Baelish, who is being held by the Golden Company right now, we can simply send the word to them and instead of walking out on your own and going to Pentos, you will get roughed up on your way out and spend the rest of your time in a fucking small prison cell. Which one would you prefer Viserys? Something in me says that because you’re such a piece of shit, you’ll rather go out into the dirt.”  
  
_ The silence after that was nerve breaking. But then Viserys, realizing there was no way out, took his pen out, sat down and signed the document. He folded it and handed it to Rhaegar. He, who liked to look them in the eye and taunt them until they were really uncomfortable, was only able to stare at the floor. Dany knew that this was now her time to have the final word.  
  
“ _You bullied both of us for years. Fought us on every matter, looked supportive on the outside but once the doors were closed, you raised hell behind them. You betrayed your family, not that I care much about your betrayal anymore, but because of your stupidity and incompetence, this company was almost going down.”  
  
_ The silence this time made Dany feel more powerful. She gave one look at Jon, who now had the tiniest of smiles on his face. That boosted her confidence. She wasn’t daddy’s little girl anymore. She was a grown-ass woman, who was confident, who knew her shit and she was finally making sure that justice was served.  
  
“ _Now that you have resigned because you were incompetent, I will make sure that you will leave all of us in peace. I will expose you for the embarrassment that you are for this family and make sure that every single person on Westeros knows about what an asshole you are and have been. Now pack up your shit and get the fuck out of our firm and leave us in peace. Now!”  
  
_ ***  
  
He was insanely turned on by the show of strength.   
  
Dany showing her confidence would always send jolts through his veins. It sucked that he had to wait to have his way with her until they got home and there was still unfinished business that needed to be taken care of. Dany being Dany, wouldn’t mention to Rhaegar that she wouldn’t be around like he got used to in the past few months. Jon knew that he didn’t want to overstep but then again this time he had to.  
  
Viserys had packed his stuff and left and since they didn’t need to drive back, Dany had opened the bottle of scotch she kept at her office and they were holding a small celebration for this long awaited victory. Rhaegar looked grateful, but Jon knew that in a few moments he would need to get on the man’s nerves and he really didn’t want to. After a toast and a glass downed, Jon finally decided to speak up.  
  
“ _Okay now, I need to get this out of the way because somebody needs to say this out loud and I’m sure that Dany won’t.”  
  
_ There was a brief pause but he now had everybody’s attention so he turned to Rhaegar and continued.  
  
“ _Now I know that you’ve gotten used to the perks of Dany being always around from early morning to late evening during Viserys’ reign of terror but that has come to an official end from now on. I’d like her to arrange her hours like the way she wants, because clearly taking small breaks and not working the extra hours have affected her mood on the positive side. She is rid of the medication and we didn’t actually feel the need of going to a new doctor.”  
  
_ Rhaegar was watching him with intent. He didn’t look like he would start a fight at this point but he looked like the man who wouldn’t like to leave his comfort zone at all. He nodded and urged him to continue while Dany was stunned and just observing.  
  
“ _You are the managing partner here, so you will manage. Still, Dany can’t be here all the time to come and cover for you. Sure, I can help you with specific things like this, but leave the political struggles aside; I have absolutely no idea about your business apart from the aesthetics of it. Your son is starting school after the summer so I guess it shall be easier for you to devote more time to the office and actually manage.”  
  
“I don’t see where you’re getting with this.”  
  
“Let me get there then. You’ve gotten so used to Dany being around here all the time and you very often leave the load of work with her. Now that we’ve been living together for a while, I came to notice how much work she brings home and I’m not happy about this. Our home is the one place where we isolate ourselves from work and we’ll do our best to keep it that way. So she arranges her work hours the way she deems fit. That’s all I want, because I want my girlfriend to not to stress more than necessary. I want her to be healthy and fine because she deserves it. I hope we’re clear with this.”  
  
“You made your point, but still I don’t understand why it is you that who tells me this and not her.”  
  
“I’m telling you this because firstly she’s too nice to say these things. Secondly it’s easier for you to argue with her on this until she caves and finally because you owe me. I just took out the trash for you, exactly in the way your father wanted.”  
  
_Then Dany intervened.  
  
“ _Wait, my father wanted you to push Viserys out? I didn’t know about it.”  
  
“That was what he told me during the ball. In his exact words, he was looking forward to see if I had the balls to oust his cunt of a brother. Now that I have, that puts me in a position of strength.”  
  
_The silence was uncomfortable. He could tell that Dany wasn’t in her most pleased state, but Rhaegar looked like he softened up. He rose from his seat and poured all of them another glass and then sat down.  
  
“ _Now I see your point, you’re trying to protect your girlfriend and yes you are in a position of strength. Still I would like it more if these came from Dany and not you.”  
  
“If you really knew your way around managing a company, then you would see that your sister, who is the hardest working partner here, was struggling due to the load of work. Now I can understand that you are rather new to being managing partner, but if you carry the title and still people are sweeping the mess behind you, that doesn’t make you a good leader. It only makes you the boss and that’s only in name. I’m really trying hard to be polite here but push me further and I’ll be rude about these things.”  
  
“Wow you really do have some balls I need to give it to you. You stood your ground with the old man and earned his favor. Then you ousted our uncle, who was a piece of shit and really deserved what came to him. Is it me next? Are you clearing the way for your girlfriend to become the managing partner? How can I be sure that this isn’t one of your political power plays that you are such an expert at?”  
  
“Because if I were playing you, you wouldn’t know about it. I wouldn’t say shit to you and you would’ve only understood that you had been played once your ass hit the ground.”  
  
_There was more silence and Jon now knew he had him, so he pressed his advantage.  
  
“ _Now I know you’ve been pressured politically before and we lifted that. You’ve been granted a lifeline to hang onto with the stadium in Sunspear, so use it. Give Dany the space she wants and needs and I’ll be out of your way. But I won’t stand and wait for her to crumble under pressure and stress once more. Wouldn’t you do the same for your wife and child? I’m sure as a family man you would hold your ground and use your power.”  
  
_ Dany looked at him with awe. It was because probably nobody had stood up for her like this until now. Rhaegar looked stunned because he had just got his ass handed to him. He finished his drink, stood up from his chair and extended his hand to him.  
  
“ _Apparently father was right about you. You are the one man who would go all the way for the princess of this family. You’ll have your wish and you have my word on that. No untimely calls, no overload of work so she needs to take work home and from now on, her Saturdays are off too. How about that?”  
  
“If she approves, I’m good with it.”  
  
_The silence was brief before Dany spoke.  
  
“ _I’m good with it too but now I want to go home. I need to be alone with my boyfriend.”  
  
_ With that they had left the office. Dany held onto his hand until they got into the car but he couldn’t tell that whether she was upset or happy with him. Apparently there were mixed feelings but Jon knew that once they talked, the smoke would clear. He held Dany close to himself and cupped her face. When she looked at him, her eyes were determined but there was a smile on her face.  
  
“ _I don’t know what to say about what you just did. Nobody stood up for me anywhere ever. When I was the most irresponsible party girl and I had trashed apartments, I always noticed my parents were ashamed of me when they had to come and collect me from places. Then when I dated Drogo and had to stand the abuse, they always thought the blame lied with me, because I had screwed up before. Then I got fired from my job and I was lost. Only then my father gave me shares in the company and put me to work here, telling me that it was my last chance. Ever since that time, I was the little employee that could be overstepped, pushed around for work because they were teaching me how to handle life. There had been times that I haven’t been able to handle all that pressure. Even when I became a junior partner after father retired, still neither Rhaegar, nor Viserys cared. You know the rest of it because you lived it with me and all this time, I dreamed one day that I would stand up to all of them and kick their butts. But then you came along, put everyone in their places and you did it with ease. I can get used to this comfort but I need to make sure that this doesn’t make me too dependent on you either. You understand why I cannot be insanely psyched about what you just did, right?”  
  
“Yeah, I kinda got that part at the office actually. Still I did what needed to be done. Now we’re sure that nobody will ever try crossing you.”  
  
“I’m thankful for that. Still I’ll need to face both Rhaegar and later my father without your help. I need to prove to them that I’ve grown up so they can finally let me be.”  
  
“One question and I need a sincere answer to this one. Do you actually see yourself working here full time in the future or would you really be more comfortable with freelancing or say, opening your own firm?”  
  
“Of course I would choose the latter but at this time I don’t have the finances or the strength to accomplish that. I’m still tied to this place for a good few years I think.”  
  
“Alright, but say we have the finances to actually get you your wish. Would you take the chance?”  
  
“If I can’t take it now, when can I take it?”  
  
“Then I guess it’s time for that. We just need to get through with this campaign and then we’ll see what we can do about this. It’s been in my mind forever, especially since the time when you told me that you hated working there, being so far away from the city and being stuck working for your family. Jaime and I have some ideas, but they are still ideas. Still brewing let’s say, but eventually those will come to life.”  
  
“You have plans that included me and you haven’t told me?”  
  
“Not plans, just ideas. A plan would actually need a good preparation. We just thought about a few things, because we don’t want to get stuck with just theater and music either. You’re a damn good architect; Val is a fantastic interior designer, Arya is already quite established with animations and productions in general, we have Jaime and Sam who can act and dub, and me who is a one man studio practically. A collective could be formed and we wouldn’t necessarily need to stick to one city, we could just open offices all around the country and work collectively. The idea is solid, but still we need to do a feasibility study and see what we can do. Just think of the areas we could work in altogether and the money we could make out of it would be insane.”  
  
“Oh my god, you actually have given it a good thought. Still I have absolutely no money to contribute for start-up. That would suck, because if we all were to do something like this, then I really would like to be a part of it.”  
  
“Don’t worry about the start-up at this point. Val for example doesn’t have money to buy in either. Still this is just a thought and I thought it would have its perks for you because that would mean that you could finally get out of the family company and work according to your own taste. That’s what I’m dreaming about too, especially after this campaign is over. But enough of this now. We’re nearing home and tomorrow morning we leave for Dragonstone so no more work talks. I just wanted you to at least know about the idea in my head, that’s all.”  
  
“So does this mean that I can actually kiss you right now?”  
  
“Well… It’s encouraged so please do. I need you so badly that I can’t wait until we get home.”  
  
_So she kiseed him and he held her. Once they had arrived, they rushed home and ravished each other. They took a break, packed their stuff for the trip and then went at it again. A three-day weekend was on the horizon and Jon just didn’t want it to end, because he knew what was to come afterwards.  
  
***  
  
Double dating with his sister and brother in law was a good idea. Jaime and Elia had been a couple for almost ten years now and they would always make him look better when it came to impressing other women. Still, Ellaria was more than friendly with them. Her apartment was really close to theirs, they saw very often, plus she and Elia would meet almost weekly to spend some quality girl-time.   
  
This was the perfect time to take chances, make big moves and take big steps in his personal life. He would serve in King’s Landing at least for four more years before being reposted to someplace else. When he looked around, he saw his sister had married, his best friend was settling down, people around them were one by one getting married and apparently his time wasn’t too far away either. By the end of the month, it was going to be Ellaria’s birthday and he really wanted to surprise her big time for that. A proposal could be on the cards and he really felt the time was nearing for that. He still felt the need to consult with Jon once more before making the move. He was the only one who could be trusted with such a secret, since he was an excellent secret keeper. When he was coming back from Qarth, he had ended his relationship there and only had told Jon, who hadn’t said a single word for months to his family. For a man who hated secrets, he was pretty fucking good at keeping them. He thought of sending him a text but then again Jaime had told him that he was taking the weekend off himself, so he decided to not to disturb him just yet. There was still time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this chapter concluded some of the plot points from earlier on, it has also planted seeds for some future plot points, which we will get to explore in the future chapters.
> 
> Once again, thank you all for reading and commenting!


	20. Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Dany's getaway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is practically on fluff-land, because I felt the need for depth in character developments a little more and who can deny them some private time? Lots of inner thinking and sincere dialogues were necessary in my opinion, so I went with that!

Dragonstone was simply fantastic.  
  
It was warmer than King’s Landing, way smaller in size, not at all crowded and one could tell after interacting with them a little, that the smallfolk occupying the island were really nice and friendly. The more she and Jon explored the island, the more it left them in awe. Dany’s memories of the island were blurry, as it was just some daily getaway for her during a few summers ago, again because of not being able to take so much time off. This time however, they really had the time under their hand and went from place to place. This was a totally different experience.  
  
The houses by the coast were beautiful. She would’ve killed to actually go and see the insides of those houses. It had been one of her dreams, to design nice and comfortable big houses by the shore. When she had said this to Jon, he had just smiled and said that maybe she would design their future house. She had fallen in love with the idea the moment he had said it. He wasn’t the type of person who would just say things like this in between. _“He must have thought about it.”_ she thought inwardly and that made her smile. She wanted this relationship to last longer than anything she had before. They hadn’t even talked about marriage or the possibility of it for even once. She had asked about his general opinion on the matter before they became a couple and Jon had casually replied that it would be possible with the right person.  
  
But was she the right person, she couldn’t tell. Even if she was, Jon probably thought that it was wiser to get through all the work out of the way. He had stood up for her first against Viserys and then against Rhaegar. Poor Rhaegar still probably had no idea what had hit him and even remembering his face made Dany chuckle. She had watched Jon with awe and how he handled the people who buried her under the workload wasn’t necessarily pretty, but effective.  
  
When she looked at him, he was clearly trying to clear his head for the one last time, because the upcoming six weeks was definitely going to be insane. He had insisted that they had taken the ferry while coming here and she had argued about it but it really was beautiful weather and whenever she felt even the slightest of cold, he had held her from behind and made sure she stayed warm enough. He really had been the perfect boyfriend and she was hoping that she had been the perfect girlfriend for him since they made up for good.  
  
 _“Jon, I need to ask you something.”  
  
“Sure love, what is it?”  
  
“Do you think I’ve been good with you since we finally made up? I know that we don’t talk about these things but I just wanted to make sure that I haven’t screwed anything up.”  
  
“Why would you think that you screwed something up? Everything has been great so far. I’m very happy and I thought you were happy too. You ARE happy, right? I know that this trip was rather sudden on my beha---“  
  
“No no, I don’t want you to think like that. I loved coming here with you. It’s just that you know, I sometimes have some doubts in me still and I wanted to make sure.”  
  
“In that case, you ARE perfect. I won’t get tired of saying this to you. You complete me and make me a better man.”  
  
_And then he held her. He surely knew what to say, how to say it and how to behave in situations like these. Only a few months ago, if he needed her comfort, Dany would’ve panicked and wouldn’t have known what to do. Jon however was always calm under these circumstances and always made sure that Dany felt safe. She could see it in his eyes that he felt the same as well. His eyes were warm and made her feel comfortable every time she looked at him. These were the times that he would rather stay quiet but would listen to Dany go on and on about things for hours. She was in a good mood so she was continuously blabbing about things, while he watched her with a smile on his face. Probably it didn’t even matter what she was saying but he was just enjoying the fact that she was in a good mood and they were together.  
  
Heeding the advice of their hotel’s owner, they had their meals in smaller, local restaurants or diners. Jon was more than comfortable with it and she had absolutely loved those small but cozy places. Everything looked fresh and tasted better for her. She couldn’t help but notice that Jon was treating this like a scouting trip. He was learning and memorizing the roads, taking notes down about the small restaurants and the local markets. “ _Maybe he wants to come again for a longer time once the elections are over.”_ she thought inwardly but didn’t mention it to him. She had gotten better at observing him, figuring out his needs and acting on them quickly. Still, it looked like the thing he needed the most was peace and quiet and her with it. He wouldn’t let her hand go while they were walking, always held her whenever he could and never shied away from those small kisses in public, which always made her blush. They were wandering around in the market square and then he pointed up to a small hill, which didn’t look like it was too far away from the central area.  
  
“ _See the small house up there? That’s apparently a winery and they have a small restaurant up there as well. I made reservations for the evening and booked us a vehicle to take us there and back to our hotel.”  
  
“Wow Jon, so that was why you looked like you were on a scouting trip? Asking locals about places and prices and so on? For a moment I thought that you wanted to return here after the elections but wasn’t sure about it.”  
  
“I think I would like to return at some point, but we’ll pick a definite place after the elections. I was thinking maybe Valyria was a good option too for an extended trip. By the way, I was told that on the other side of the island there are Valyrian houses. Would you like to go and check them out tomorrow after breakfast? I know you love their style of architecture so, made a little research about it.”  
  
“And I was thinking that the weather would be gloomy so we would mainly stay in the hotel and do nothing, before coming here. How did you plan all this in such short notice? Or have you known what to do all along but you hadn’t told me?”  
  
“Okay okay, I had done some research about the Valyrian houses and the winery before coming here, but still needed confirmation that they were there and so on. That’s why I interacted a lot with the locals. Hey, don’t look at me like that, or you know what will happen.”  
  
“Can you specifically tell me what will happen if I continue to do so?”  
  
_He closed the gap between them and kissed her. Then he chose to whisper the rest of it to her ear.  
  
“ _I will carry you to the hotel and have my way with you until we need to depart for King’s Landing.”  
  
_ She couldn’t help giggling like a little girl after that but then realized that she actually had to form clear sentences so that he really wouldn’t carry her to the room and she would miss out on the winery and the houses.  
  
“ _I would like that, but how about we actually do go to the winery and go see the houses and you have your way with me in between?”  
  
“That sounds like music to my ears.”  
  
_***  
  
He could see the happiness in her eyes and it made him even happier.  
  
This getaway was more than just a small vacation for Jon. He was scouting and Dany had kinda figured it out but then again he had handled the situation rather well. It would have been too soon to just say that he had thoughts of them moving to Dragonstone. Rather cheaper but still high quality life standards, better houses and wider spaces for living. Plus no crowd, no traffic and less stress. Those were the perks of it. Still, this needed careful planning and execution, even if it were to happen. Both of their parents were nearing old age and their conditions were apparent. His parents had chosen to retreat to Tarth for more than a year now and Jon had managed. Still Dany’s parents were rather stuck in King’s Landing, especially with her father’s condition not allowing so much traveling at all.  
  
Moving here would mean that they would need to leave their lives in the capital. Jon was rather sure that Dany didn’t want to get out of King’s Landing immediately and to be honest, neither did he. Still, they could have a transitional period in between the time they would actually decide to move and go back and forth between the capital and Dragonstone. Besides their friends and social environment were still based in King’s Landing, therefore this was more of a long term plan. In any case, he knew that he wanted to buy a house from the island, once the dust from the election had settled and he received his paycheck. It would also be quite useful for the collective idea, because Dragonstone was a frequent destination for the Essosi to come by and spend vigorously. These all needed melting in a pot and deserved long discussions with both Dany and the rest of his friends. Now he had to focus on the task that was in front of him and that job would still wait until he got back to King’s Landing.  
  
The nature of the island was beautiful and it was visible on the way to the winery. The small hill they climbed wasn’t that small after all, Jon had noticed. Still the place was perfect, there was a slight warm breeze and the manager had said that it was warm enough that they could stay outside if they wished to. Both of them had decided staying outdoors was a rather better choice, because for one the weather had allowed it and they anyway had to stay indoors in King’s Landing all the time. They had decided that they would stay away from Dornish Red or Arbor Gold for today, because they wanted to experience something else. Apart from the local wines, they also had Essosi brands, some of them you could find in King’s Landing for ridiculous amounts of money. Dany was in total shock to find some of those wines for almost half the price in here.  
  
“ _This whole island is insanely cheap. I mean, the food we paid for would have cost us three times the amount in KL.”  
  
“Once you are away from the capital or Harrenhal, the groceries get better and cheaper. Everything is shit and expensive in King’s Landing. You know I checked out some prices for a couple of houses here and they are cheaper than the apartment we live in.”_  
  
“ _You can’t be serious.”  
  
“No seriously, the last time we spoke about it, mom told me that our flat would hit the market with the price of a million gold dragons because it’s central enough and it has four rooms and a main living room. There was a two floor, six room house with a main living room for each floor and a big garden and it was maybe 200 meters to the ocean and the price was 750k. It IS insane.”  
  
“So what? Should we just buy a house from here and move away from KL? The idea is super cool but you know the whole thing with my parents.”  
  
“It’s not just your parents; it’s our social circles as well. Quitting the job and moving to the countryside is the dream of every white collar for sure, but you know how badly they fuck it up when they try.”  
  
“That’s true. I still think that we could manage that if we wanted. I mean you’re good with running a household, way better than I am to be honest. Still, very hypothetical I have to admit. But be honest with me now, have you thought about it?”  
  
“I have. Not in the way like we throw all the shit in KL and run to Dragonstone, but rather in the way of purchasing a property here and visiting more often. People who have houses by the shore use this island for getaways mostly, you might have noticed. If everything works out fine, we could probably do something similar.”  
  
“Still that’s too much money. I mean I have seen that amount of money and more in the firm’s vault but just splashing the cash like that looks too far away.”  
  
“Well if it makes you feel better, I haven’t splashed cash like that ever either. To be honest I never made that much money in my life. What came into my account would be gone in a matter of weeks usually. Of course it was easier to save money maybe 10-12 years ago and the currency difference between us and Braavos wasn’t all that high. Nowadays a trip to Braavos is insanely expensive. That’s the main reason we’re traveling domestically more nowadays.”  
  
“That’s true. But I mean, you’re a man of logic and you probably aren’t stupid enough to spend the money that you actually don’t have. I know for a fact that you don’t want to go under bank loans and stuff, so tell me honestly. Is it just a dream that you want to accomplish with me someday, or are you actually going to be rich enough to do that so you’re considering it?”  
  
“Well, once this campaign is done and hopefully Davos is elected, I’ll have enough money to be able to invest in something. Even if he doesn’t win, the amount they’ll pay me is more than enough to buy a place here.”  
  
“How much will they pay you? You don’t have to tell me if you’re uncomfortable but since you sounded so confident I wondered.”  
  
“If he wins, 5 million, if he doesn’t, then the half of it.”  
  
“JON! That’s a fuckload of money. Are you sure you really want to spend it or invest on it with me? I mean wouldn’t you consider doing something for yourself?”  
  
“I have what I need. I’m a partner in a successful, up and coming company, I share a flat with my girlfriend and we don’t pay a penny for rent. Plus the two of us combined make enough to maintain a stable living so sure, I would like to invest on something with you. Another step for the future sounds nice. Still we’re not in a rush and I would really like this campaign to be done before making any decisions.”  
  
_“ _You have been thinking about the future?”  
  
“Of course I have been thinking about the future Dany. I like what we have and I want this to continue like this, if not get better along the way. Now I know the happily ever after cliché is a little bit annoying but still, I found myself at that point of my life that I am peacefully ready to settle down.”  
  
“And you want to do that with me?”  
  
“Well I asked you to move in together, didn’t I?”  
  
“Oh god… When you said it like this it suddenly became too much. I mean I thought about it just yesterday whether you were happy and I was handling this right and some part of me was wondering if you wanted to keep on being with me and so on… Oh god… Let me catch my breath, will you?”  
  
“Sure love. Take the time you need.”  
  
_Jon just observed her. She was panicking maybe, but not necessarily in a bad way. Her cheeks were red, she couldn’t stop all the blushing and the big swig from the wine glass in front of her hadn’t helped. She lit a cigarette and puffed vigorously, but still couldn’t calm down. He decided to extend his hand towards hers and gave it a little squeeze. Their fingers intertwined and she finally managed to look at him. He noticed that she still couldn’t form sentences, so he smiled to her.  
  
 _“You don’t have to say anything now and this isn’t any sort of proposal by any means. I just told you what I have in mind when the subject came up and that’s all. No need to panic, no need to stress. This is our getaway, let’s not stress please.”  
  
“I’m just… really amazed by the fact that how easily you could actually put those into words. I could probably never say those things in such a simple manner. Now I know you aren’t the type who just makes empty promises so I’m sure that you thought these out before actually telling me. Still, you thought about all these in between all that shit you had to do? I mean how can you do that? When I’m too occupied with something, it’s almost impossible to think of anything else for me. I know for a fact that if we weren’t living together, I probably again would have shut you down inadvertently.”  
  
_This was serious and it required him to be honest. He had been honest since the beginning anyway. Clear with his intentions, always thinking before talking and always keeping his word. He would keep his word again for sure, he knew it in himself. Without hesitation, he kissed her hand.  
  
“ _My thoughts haven’t changed one bit since the beginning. I knew it since when we held each other’s hands in that cab. I was sure of it when we woke up together on Oberyn’s couch. Nothing has changed for me since then. Yes we had some ups and downs but that’s all in the past now. There were maybe brief moments throughout all this time that I doubted myself. I tried to make myself believe that you had moved on so I wouldn’t actually call you when we were apart but again, that’s long gone now. I want to look ahead and keep looking ahead as much as we can. So yes, I have thought about all those in between all the shit that I had to do and I’m glad I have.”  
  
_ There were tears in her eyes, he could see them. She couldn’t respond to the things he had said but the silence was comfortable enough. Her face told the whole story. She was happy but maybe a little overwhelmed by the things he had said. She quietly and slowly stood up from her seat and seated herself next to him to put her head on his shoulder. He cupped her face and played with her hair for a little. They were smiling to each other like two idiots, he could tell that even without looking from the outside.  
  
“ _I’m sorry for choking and not being able to say anything but I’m so overwhelmed. I think you know that already. I just want you to know that I feel the same way. I will be able to tell you more once my pulse returns to normal.”  
  
_ Then she kissed him. It was soft but passionate. Jon was glad that they found some joy in this shit world together. Being with her had transformed him into a stronger man. She managed to sooth his sudden flares of anger in such a smooth way that he couldn’t say no to her. Sure, it had taken them a while to get where they were, but the effort was worth it. He had stood his ground and never even for once regretted that he did it.  
  
***  
  
She was swept off her feet as if she needed to experience that again to be more in love with this man.  
  
He was sure, confident, mentally strong and really patient. All those qualities she had lacked during certain times in her life and now he was here, making up for them. She had become more confident, definitely stronger and surer with her decisions and he had managed to make her more patient with issues that needed solving.  
  
Getting lost in details was what she had been famous for. Her father criticized her for it for work related issues, while her mother and friends would tell her the same thing when it came to social relations. Missy had told her several times that getting stuck with the details had kept her from reaching the end point, whether it was positive or negative. With Jon, she had become more pragmatic, especially business-wise. Still with personal matters, she often found herself stuck with some small details she couldn’t get through with. Jon had tried to explain the situation to her by comparing things to an original design and that had made her see reason. “ _You cannot complete the room if you are too occupied with the little book you decided to plant on the desk.”_ he had told her and he was right. The room itself needed to be done first and then once it was complete, she would start with the details which came from her heart. She knew it in her heart now that she was willing to go all the way with Jon, especially after his words concerning the future. He had thought about it and he had let her know. This was the thing with him in general. Small surprises that would shock her in the positive way and make her smile, but no surprises when it came to big things. With things like these, he was always cautious and always clear, leaving no room for surprises.  
  
All this future talk might have caused someone to start dreaming within a dream, but she wasn’t like that. That talk they had was the reason she was now analyzing all the things they had been through. He had told her that he knew it since the beginning and deep in her heart, that was what she had wanted too. She knew she wanted him when they first went out, when they held hands in that cab and when she fell asleep with him on Oberyn’s couch. Actually back then, her feelings weren’t clear in her, but something was always pushing her towards him. It was like he was pulling her out of her orbit, from somewhere cold and dark to a warm and safe environment.  
  
It made her feel like shit.  
  
This wonderful man had believed in them since day one and had stood his ground. Fought for what they had now. Fought her on it, probably fought his friends on it and maybe even fought himself on it. She hated the feeling that she didn’t deserve him, hated the fact that they had stayed apart for a long time because of her stupidity, hated that she pushed him to his limit more than once. How was it possible that he had thwarted her deliberate attempts at sabotaging their relationship one after another?  
  
She had learned to care for his comfort and peace during the time they lived together. She now understood how confidently and easily he could say things once he was sure of them. Whenever he made promises, he kept them and if unsure, he would always stress out the fact that he wasn’t sure. He had been ticking all the boxes she needed since the beginning and it had taken her so long to figure that out. She was so mad at herself that she was really close to despising herself. Still he was looking at her with those caring eyes, cupping her face, putting her head on his chest or shoulder and comforting her. This lovely man, who she clearly hadn’t deserved in the past, was definitely gifted to her. She wasn’t religious by any means, but believed in karma. She was now sure that she needed to pour her heart out to him, make him see that she had changed for the better and she would do everything in her power to be with him as long as they could manage. These thoughts accompanied her back to the hotel room, while her head was resting on his shoulder. Once they got to the hotel and she was sure that nobody would be able to interrupt them, she felt that the time was right.  
  
“ _I’m ready to talk now.”  
  
_ ***  
  
She hadn’t spoken a word on the ride back to the hotel but it was fine. Jon understood that she needed to digest things first and then react afterwards. She wasn’t necessarily as quick as he was with thinking and responding right away. He had understood that throughout their time together and was used to it already. It had always taken her some time to realize what was at stake and then if she thought clearly about it, she would always respond in the right way.  
  
So he let her be. He would have been okay if she didn’t want to speak at all and just sleep through the night first. But then she said that she was ready to talk so all he would do would be to wait and listen as carefully as possible. After a brief silence, during which she looked like she gathered her thoughts for the last time, she looked him directly in the eyes and started talking.  
  
“ _We’ve been through a lot and I really don’t know where to start from. Since we moved in together I have felt better than ever, like way better than the times before all this depression hit years ago. I don’t know how you do it but you completed me and keep doing it. It’s overwhelming at times that I really cannot fathom how but I kinda let go about trying to understand it nowadays. I just know it deep in my heart that you were the one person I wanted and waited for. Something inside me kept pushing for you, but my mind was late on figuring it out. It still could have been too late, if you hadn’t given me an ultimatum. Not only you are the right person for me, you also elevated me in many ways. Back then when you told me that I was helpful about many things, I had a hard time understanding what you meant. I thought to myself all the time like ‘why does he even say that when I pushed him to his limit several times?’ and I had a hard time figuring it out until today. You are always a few steps ahead, thinking ahead, acting on things and then you are waiting for me to digest and catch up. I wouldn’t have put up with something like that. Not with someone like me who has emotional faults, who is barely learning how to empathize with a loved one and someone who always needs to digest things even when clearly told so. During those times when I was cold and distant towards you, I always waited for you to lash out at me for being a shitty girlfriend but you didn’t. Even when you told me that you were open to the possibility of breaking up and never seeing each other again, you weren’t rude or cold or angry. You had already accepted me for who I was and who I could be from the very beginning. I’m sorry it took me around seven months to get here but even after confessing my love to you, I still felt there were things I should have said. Do you know how hard I tried to get a reaction out of you, several times actually, during the times that we didn’t speak? I tweeted stuff that you would have liked or at least would have caused you to interact with me, posted some pictures with guys that you didn’t know about to try and make you jealous but you didn’t react. You were so sure about who you were, who I was and you stood your ground. You kept me coming for more because you didn’t react and now I find myself at this point that whenever you say something big, I start feeling like a little girl who is clueless and my entire strong woman aura just diminishes in mere seconds. I would have hated feeling like that with someone else, but with you it still feels so safe and secure that I don’t care anymore when you make me blush and giggle like a little girl. See, I drifted away from the things I actually wanted to say but now that it started pouring out, I couldn’t stop. You affect me in such a way that I cannot see myself without you in the future and when you said to me that you had been thinking about the future, it terrified me. I had lots of questions in my mind in such a short period of time and then you made it clear that your future plans included me and I couldn’t figure out what I had done to deserve such a guy like you in my life.”  
  
_ That was a lot to digest but Jon knew he would come back to think of all the things she said later on. He just held her hand and smiled warmly. This was good. Dany being direct and honest was something crucial for their relationship. Although he honestly didn’t understand the whole deserving thing, he knew that he had to say something about that.  
  
“ _Is it maybe because you suffered more than necessary and now it’s being made up for? I know about you and karma and it’s okay if you believe in things like that because I think that there is some sort of balance too. I think we both suffered enough up to this point but the path is getting clearer for us. I can feel the tide turning slowly and it’s good.”  
  
_ She now had tears in her eyes and he felt that he had to explain a few more things.  
  
“ _By the way it was hard to resist contacting you. I buried myself under the heaviest workload possible, ran from place to place, and did my best to avoid you on social media and so on. Maybe it was some stupid pride or maybe I was just trying to be smart by telling myself that you would eventually come through, I forced myself and fought myself on it for so long. Arya and Val know some of my struggles throughout the time and if there is someone you should thank for keeping me going at that time, it’s Jaime. I know it looked fancy and fun from the outside but I knew I was dying inside, up until the moment you came to my apartment that night. When you told me that you loved me, I knew I would fight forever to keep this going and I will.”  
  
“Jon…”  
  
“Per aspera ad astra. You know the saying right? Now I know that our hardships haven’t come to an end yet, but we will stand our ground and go through those together.”  
  
“Together.”  
  
_They were now smiling to each other. Two people, who had difficulties about confronting their feelings when this all started were now openly communicating about things that were buried deep down out of fear of losing, never shown to anyone or anything and always clouded with the strong personality they carried. Jon finally felt at peace after this long and sincere conversation. He knew that once she laid her head on his shoulder, every single thing that bothered them would be forgotten. Together they were at peace and this clearly meant the world to both of them.  
  
***  
  
This was a rare occasion as Dany was the first one up in the morning, while Jon was still peacefully asleep. She loved waking up to his scent in the morning but this was a different case. She was still a little emotionally overwhelmed from the night before but it was a great feeling to be completely open with the man he loved. Her hands caressed his chest and when she moved downstairs, she noticed that he was hard in his sleep. That turned her on so much, especially when combined with the feeling of safety, she wanted to have her way with him.  
  
Luckily he always slept with his boxer briefs and nothing more. Once she touched him, she already was feeling that she was getting wet. She had to have him and there was nothing or nobody that could stop her. She quietly and slowly removed the blanket from on top of him and started kissing his chest, only to slowly move downstairs. She so had wanted to wake him up like this before and now this was her chance. Carefully she stripped his briefs and took his hard member in her hand. After a few gentle strokes, she put it in her mouth and at that moment the warmth must have woken him up because he grunted. Not letting that distract her, she took more and more of him every time she went down. Noticing that he was watching her, she maintained eye contact with him and kept sucking him. She wanted him to explode right there, while they looked at each other but he had other plans. He carefully reached to his wallet by the nightstand and took out a condom. She took it from his hands and after ripping the package of it, she carefully put it on for him.  
  
He had signaled for her to come on top of him and she obliged. She was so wet that she couldn’t wait anymore. Immediately he filled her insides but let her ride him the way she liked it. He understood that she wanted, no needed to do this because all the feelings overwhelmed her. He watched her riding him, pleasure so clearly on his face that he almost never broke eye contact. Her movements became faster and harder, wanting to reach her climax and it didn’t take long before she came, screaming his name. He however, had no plans of stopping and pressed her to his chest and started kissing her while taking control. He was filling her insides with haste and she couldn’t help but moan into his mouth while they were kissing. She again felt that her climax was nearing and couldn’t help screaming again as she exploded.  
  
They were still not done because the monster in him had awakened. She was going to let him do all the things he desired to her because she wanted him to. He switched their position and now he was the one on top, ramming into her vigorously, determined to make her reach her climax again and again. She felt that she had torn the sheets apart because he was so deep inside her. He wasn’t soft at that point by any means but she loved it when he possessed her like that. He kept on for a while more, but then stood up from the bed with an evil grin on his face. She didn’t understand what was going on, until he lifted her from the bed and carried her to the bathroom where the big mirror stood.  
  
“ _I want us to see each other clearly.”_ he whispered to her ear, as he stood behind her. With a slick move, he entered deep into her folds again and she screamed with pleasure once more. He spent himself in that position, making her scream his name with joy, multiple times. She loved watching his face while he was fucking her from behind and that had turned her on even more during the process. He was possessed but also had possessed her that morning. Once they were done, he wanted to hit the shower but she stopped him and started filling the bathtub instead so they could still have some more fun and relax a little bit. When they finally entered the tub, she eased into his arms and peppered him with kisses all around his neck. He looked spent but very happy at that moment that it made Dany understand why and how she had fallen in love with this man.  
  
***  
  
Jon didn’t want this vacation to end.  
  
It was a simple three day getaway but it had recharged both of them in the way they needed. On their final day they had walked through the part of the island where the Valyrian houses were located. It was a nice and warm day, Dany was so energetic and interested in everything she could see and take pictures of. He observed her as she was having the time of her life in a professional way. There were no more Valyrian houses in King’s Landing and it bugged her really much, so when she finally got the chance, she wasn’t going to let go and Jon knew it so he let her be. Her enthusiasm was off the charts and Jon felt really happy for her. In a professional way, he barely felt that enthusiastic nowadays and his only excitement was composing small pieces for her, to motivate her during the day and so on. Even for that he barely found the time nowadays.  
  
He really needed this campaign to be done with so he could go back to what he loved doing the most. Music had been his life since his teenage years and he wasn’t ready to sell his soul to corporate life. Missing the good old times that he was just doing his job for the artistic reasons, he really didn’t want to touch anything for a long while. They had spent the whole morning going from house to house, Dany checking out the details of the architecture and taking pictures, super enthusiastic about the whole thing and constantly blabbing facts about how the Valyrians had different ways of building stuff. Jon absolutely adored her in that state and was so glad that she was having the time of her life. Once they took a break from all that touring and sat down for lunch at the Pentoshi restaurant, an idea struck him.  
  
“ _So I was thinking… If the Wolves make it to the playoffs, we should go and catch the games at Winterfell. Depending on the opponent, we can also go and see the away games too.”  
  
“Are you asking me on game-dates mister? Because I definitely will say yes to that, you know me. Well I mean, we can’t go to Ibben for away games for sure, but if we are to play the best-of-5 with Harrenhall? Hell yes we are so going to all of the games.”  
  
“Good, I love the enthusiasm. Now I have an even better offer. What about we take a trip to Valyria in May for the Final-4, if the Wolves make it? We can take the whole week off and just enjoy everything the place has to offer. You know how it goes; Thursday afternoon there are the introductions, Friday the first game, Saturday the award ceremony and Sunday the finals. I’ll get us press passes from Arryn’s team so we can attend the ceremony as well. How about that?”  
  
“Jon… That is the most beautiful offer I’ve ever heard. Yes. A thousand times yes. This is better than a surprise marriage proposal if you ask me.”  
  
_Jon couldn’t help but laughing at that statement. He loved to see her like this, enthusiastic about everything, in an excellent mood. Then however, she got a little serious.  
  
“ _You know that dad was a little upset because we skipped the dinner with them this week because we took this trip. I would like to make it up to them somehow but dunno how to handle that. Any ideas?”  
  
“Well shit, you’re right we skipped the dinner this week. Okay then, how about we do it like this. It’s a double week game anyway and the Wolves are playing both on Tuesday and Thursday. We invite them to dinner to our place on the day of their choosing and watch the game as well. It might be a little different than the original plan of his, but tell him that this is our way of compensating. Plus I don’t like that your mom overworks in the kitchen, in addition to all that work she’s handling, just because we’re going there for a couple of hours.”  
  
“Inviting them sounds nice but, how do we handle it then? Still, I can’t have you cooking everything on your own and I can’t handle it on my own either. Does this mean we both need to take off an afternoon?”  
  
“It exactly means that and well, for family we will do it. Plus you don’t need to worry about some asshole boss wrinkling his face because you took a few hours off. Just make sure that Rhaegar doesn’t invite himself too because I don’t think neither of us feels like cooking for six or more.”  
  
_She chuckled at the remark and nodded her head. He liked how easy to arrange things was with her. He knew it from other couples that it was always a mess arranging stuff like these. Jaime had told him before that whenever they were to invite Martells or were going to their house for dinner, things always got chaotic. “ _So far so good.”_ he thought inwardly and asked for the check. It was about time that they departed, otherwise they could risk missing their flight and as much as he wanted to stay here for a bit more, work was awaiting both of them. They had already packed before leaving the hotel so they just dropped by and picked up their luggage and continued to the airport. On their way to the airport, Jon received a call from Oberyn. It was a strange time for him to call, especially considering that it was a late Sunday afternoon. Thinking that this had to be important, he took the call.  
  
“ _What’s up governor? Getting the habit of reaching me at unlikely times of the week, are you?”  
  
“I kinda started getting the habit nowadays, didn’t I? Well, in any case I need your help but this is a rather personal thing. You guys were getting back this evening, right?”  
  
“Our flight is at 5, so should land by 5.30 pm. Make it around 6 that we leave from the airport. What is it that you need my help for?”  
  
_“ _Well, I’ll tell you once I see you there. I know that you guys must be tired so how about we handle it like this; I meet you guys with a ministry car at the airport and give you a ride home while we talk?”  
  
“Hold on, I need to clear it out with Dany if we’re going straight home.”  
  
_He put the conversation on hold and turned to Dany to ask about it. They had no other plans  
so she had agreed. He picked the phone back up and continued the conversation.  
  
“ _Alright we’re good. See you around 6 at the airport.”  
  
_ The rest of the ride and the flight were too short to be eventful. Once they landed, they quickly went to get their suitcases and headed outside. He immediately noticed the big black ministry car waiting for them by the exit. The driver immediately left his seat once they were out of the doors and took their suitcases. Once the door was opened, Oberyn was waiting for them inside with his suit on and a glass of scotch in hand. Both Jon and Dany were surprised, considering that it was a Sunday evening and Oberyn probably had no business in the ministry at all. Still they hopped in for the ride. Once they were seated and Oberyn gave them each a glass of scotch, Jon finally decided that it was time he asked what was going on.  
  
“ _Dude, thanks for the ride but seriously what is going on, you gotta tell us. I mean a ministry limo; you’re dressed up in a tailored suit with a bottle of Mormont 21. Surely that’s not just to pick us from the airport to take us home. Spill the damn beans.”  
  
_ There was a little silence. After another sip, Oberyn did spill the beans.  
  
“ _I’m going to propose to Ellaria and I need your help with the surprise.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, I hope this was satisfying enough. I find myself better in expressing conflicts and inner turmoils, but I really felt that whoever is reading this, did deserve a ride through fluff-land after all that chaos. In any case, more of that will follow with the next chapter, which is already drafted and will focus more on the newly introduced plot points.
> 
> And once again, I want to express my sincere thanks to all the people who have been supportive towards this story since the beginning! Thank you so much for reading and commenting, for there is no bigger motivation!


	21. The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oberyn's wild surprise plan comes to a conclusion, Jon and Dany host the Targaryens, Arya has a little surprise in Winterfell and Dany makes a big decision regarding the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello once again and sorry for the wait. It has been a mess this week but I hope my schedule gets a bit lighter in the week to come so I can write a little bit more. For now, I leave you with chapter 21.

“ _I’m going to propose to Ellaria and I need your help with the surprise.”  
  
_ Since the time they met, Dany thought Oberyn to be a womanizer, who she thought was jumping from conquest to conquest, never staying with the same girl for longer than a month or two and so on. Jon had however, told her that Oberyn could get serious with this Ellaria because he had a gut feeling about the situation. Dany was a little surprised by what she had heard but Jon looked calm enough. At least he didn’t look like he was surprised or freaking out, while Oberyn was clearly freaking out and was doing his best to stay calm. Then Jon quietly took the glass of scotch from Oberyn’s hand and downed it himself. When Oberyn tried to reach for the bottle, he stopped him.  
  
“ _We don’t want you to slur while proposing, right? No more booze for you until we get you through this. Now, tell us what you need and we help you out.”  
  
_ Dany had absolutely no idea what they were getting into but they had found themselves in it now and there was no way out from this. Jon wouldn’t take offense if she just wanted to go home and crash, she knew it, and she didn’t feel compelled to help Oberyn out because he was Jon’s friend. Still, she was curious to see where this was going. At that point, Jon pecked her on the cheek and held her hand. He was chuckling and if he kept on that would have turned into laughter but he was doing his best with trying to contain it.  
  
“ _Look at this guy, can’t even form proper sentences. The great diplomat, the proud spear of Dorne, conqueror of Qarth and the Summer Isles… Ladies and gentleman… I give you… Oberyn Martell!”  
  
_ She couldn’t help but laugh when he said those things as if he was a ring announcer. The funny part was, Oberyn didn’t look stressed anymore, once he was done. He was laughing at how ridiculous the whole thing was and looked to be enjoying himself. Finally able to gather his words, he started explaining to them what he had in mind.  
  
“ _Ellaria expects us to meet for dinner at 8 pm and well… I haven’t been successful at being discrete with my proposal idea. She kinda figured out that it’s coming at some point but doesn’t know the when of it yet. Dinner at The Red Keep has marriage proposal written all over it and I need to surprise her.”  
  
“Dude, did you actually make reservations at The Red Keep or you wanted her to believe that? Because if you’re looking for a last minute surprise, you shouldn’t have gone with us to support you on this matter. Why not Jaime and Elia?”  
  
“Because Elia would blab. They had gotten closer over the past month and they talk a lot, so that was an absolute no. There is no better secret keeper around than you and Dany here is super clueless, therefore more believable.”  
  
“Oh so you want my girlfriend to act for your surprise? Thanks for the heads up! I mean sure, I’m supporting the idea here, but she doesn’t have to get involved unless she wants to. You could have told us a few days ago, instead of telling it right now.”  
  
“Yeah I’m really sorry but it’s been a complete mess and I really need to do this now. So what do you say Daenerys? Willing to help me out on the matter?”  
  
_Both their heads were turned towards her. She was so going to milk the moment of leaving Oberyn in uncertainty and she knew that Jon would be on board with it.  
  
“ _I need to think about it and you need to specify everything. I won’t stand for a woman feeling hurt because you planned some twist ending to a night, so feed me the details.”  
  
_ And finally Oberyn explained this bizarre plan of his. There actually was a table booked for two in The Red Keep, however they were to use it instead of Oberyn and Ellaria. Meanwhile another reservation was made at Sharp Point, which was Ellaria’s favorite restaurant in the area. Ellaria would make it to The Red Keep on her own because Oberyn wouldn’t be able to pick up the phone, only to see that Jon and Dany were seated on their supposed table. That would definitely cause her to argue with the receptionist, which was supposed to attract Jon and Dany’s attention. The afterwards part was even worse. Oberyn would have supposedly had an accident and he would be taken to Baelor Central, which wasn’t even close to Sharp Point. There was where the ministry limo with the filtered dark windows came into play, because they would prevent Ellaria from seeing where they were heading to. Entering the restaurant from the back entrance, which resembled the emergency of a hospital, the elevator would lead them to the private floor, where Oberyn would be waiting with the ring in his hand. This all sounded absurd to Dany and had the potential to turn into a serious shitstrom, that one could not be contained, thinking of how angry Ellaria could get. Jon was luckily aware of that and he was the one who spoke first.  
  
“ _Dude you seriously want us to defy logic multiple times here. I mean if this doesn’t work out the way you planned, you are so getting dumped, and you know that right? None of us here can contain her anger. Not even Dany if she tried a long girl talk. Still, if my help is what you need I’m ready to help, however Dany decides on her own.”  
  
_ She loved the silence. The great Oberyn Martell, Jon’s best friend of twenty something years was in dire need of her help. He was the one castle she hadn’t been able to conquer within Jon’s circle. Ever the diplomat, never too close, always kind but somehow distant, friendly enough but never open with his personal matters… This was probably the first time that she had seen him without his mask on and she was loving every single minute of it.  
  
“ _It defies logic. I mean sure I can act through the evening without laughing at her face and Jon can surely keep me in check and I know that we together had handled way worse but seriously man, why not just propose at The Red Keep? Fucking great restaurant, excellent atmosphere and surely enough it’s romantic alright? I get it, Sharp Point is an excellent place and it helps that it’s her favorite but do you really need to play these games? Look at the man sitting next to me for fuck’s sake. He knows how to play games but he has never played one with me up to this moment and see how that turned out.”  
  
“She told me that I can’t play. I’m here to prove her point wrong, surprise her and sweep her off her feet. I have this one chance, so please help me. In any case I will give you the one thing that you wanted to hear from me.”  
  
“And what was I waiting to hear from you?”  
  
“A blessing. Every single one of his close friends have commented on you two being together, living together, traveling together and so on but I haven’t said anything to him about it. Well, here we are… I have never seen anyone being so good to him other than you and trust me when I say that I have seen every single person he has dated. You complete him and you guys are excellent together.”  
  
_She smiled. This was certainly something she actually wanted to hear for a while and Oberyn was truly sincere. She would take it, but there was one more thing.  
  
“ _Done.”  
  
“Oh thank you so much. Seriously you don’t know how much that means to me.”  
  
“AND… we keep the Mormont 21, because you mister should definitely go with Valyrian champagne and follow it up the Lyseni red with if you are going to Sharp Point. That’s how a lady should celebrate getting proposed to and saying yes.”  
  
“Deal.”  
  
_Jon was insanely amused by her behavior, she could tell. It was time that they changed into their fancy clothes for the occasion and get through with this. She knew that defying logic would be a tad bit difficult at times, but it was going to be fun for sure.  
  
***  
  
He had absolutely no idea how that plan had gone through but clearly Oberyn knew his girlfriend, no fiancée, too well to actually craft out this madness. Once learning that the table was occupied she had started arguing with the receptionist and then continued to the head waiter. They had played their cue with good timing to come and interfere, only to receive the call that Oberyn was “ _in the hospital”_ due to the accident. The rush with the ministry limo was even funnier, because he had tried really hard to not to burst out laughing several times, since Ellaria had gone on and on about how reckless Oberyn was and then lashed out at him for staying so calm. Dany had been excellent throughout, soothing and calming Ellaria, only to later cause her to rage by telling her that she should kick his ass once everything was back to normal and by the time they had entered Sharp Point from the back alley, she was muttering that she was going to kill him.  
  
But once the elevator doors had opened at the floor of the private room, Ellaria was insanely puzzled. Only then they had made way for her to actually go into the room, where Oberyn was already on one knee, with the ring in his hand. A scream of yes was followed with so much laughter that Jon knew the whole plan was a success. They had stayed for a glass of champagne but later excused themselves as soon as possible, both to give the newly engaged couple some privacy and actually get home before the week’s chaos hit. On their way home, Dany had made him promise to never play such a trick on her, if he were to propose anytime soon. This wasn’t his style anyway. Surely if he did it, he would propose out of the blue, but he wouldn’t use tricks like that to get his way.  
  
The following days were mainly a blur. Really tense and tight working hours had hit them both and they could only see each other at home in the evening. On Thursday they were to host Dany’s parents for dinner and later for the game. Jon had bought a bottle of _Mormont 25_ and Dany was trying to make sure that he wasn’t returning any favors from the ball. The bottle however was a show of strength and Jon knew it, as well as Aerys Targaryen did. They had prepared their menu and they had chosen Morello cherry cheesecake for dessert. Jon had taken care of it on the evening before and put it into the fridge for overnight chilling. They were to meet at home around 2 pm and get started with the food. This would be the first time that they were going to cook together so it was a little stress. Jon didn’t really like the idea of sharing the kitchen with anyone, but with Dany he had compromised. She was going to take care of the salads and the little tapas type plates in Westerlands style, while Jon would handle the main course, as they had figured steaks and taters with Dornish sauces would do the trick. Dany had told him that his parents loved comfort food and Jon had decided it was rather easier to handle everything at once and decided to go with the steaks.  
  
Meeting the parents at the annual ball was less stressful. Jon was good with throwing a party but preparing a meal for 60+ year old people? No, that really wasn’t his thing. Still they co-operated and worked it out. Cleaning up the whole place, preparing the table, setting up the comfy one person sofa-chair for Aerys for the game and all sorts of other details… Luckily when they had arrived, everything was ready and done so quickly taking the coats and having them seated into the living room, they returned and joined them immediately.  
  
Jon was watching her parents carefully. Rhaella was surely looking around the living room for the time being but he knew that she would inspect every aspect of the flat and would comment on it eventually, if only to Dany. Meanwhile, Aerys had his sights set on one thing and one thing only. The _Mormont 25_ shining like the bright diamond that is, standing out in the liquor cabinet. That was enough for Jon to get up from the sofa and pour everyone a glass. At that point Rhaella jumped out of her seat and interfere.  
  
“ _Oh no dear, it’s better if he doesn’t drink. He has an appointment on Friday and we don’t want the doctor to get upset with him.”  
  
“OH SHUSH NOW. IT’S ONLY A GLASS OF MY FAVORITE SCOTCH. IT WON’T KILL ME.”  
  
_Jon loved the old man’s enthusiasm and signaled to Rhaella that there was nothing he could do. Dany was also grinning like an idiot in the background, so that was a go for the scotch coming to the party. He knew that Dany needed a glass to relax as well, so he decided to pour for everyone. Once the drinks were taken, the old man decided that it was the time for a toast.  
  
“ _To you younglings, to celebrate your new flat, the next steps you might want to take and God bless the Wolves so that we win tonight!”  
  
_ They had started on solid ground and everything was going rather smoothly. Once the glasses were done with, they moved them to the table and started bringing the food. Jon was watching everyone carefully and apparently everyone was hungry because they all were making sure that they would eat until their faces caved in. Rhaella had complimented him on the steak and sauces, while Aerys was definitely proud of his daughter with the salads and the tapas plates. Rhaella insisted that she would help Dany with the dishes and he understood that it was actually inspection time, so he obliged. It was down to him and the old man once again, so that was actually in the comfort zone.  
  
“ _So I heard that you ousted my cunt of a brother. Congratulations on a job well done. Rhaegar told me you kicked his ass right afterwards.”  
  
“Well he had it coming. I’m not letting anyone stepping on Dany for anything.”  
  
“Good. That’s the attitude I want to see from you. You don’t strike out maybe as a strong personality from afar but once one gets to know you, it’s easy to tell that you are willing to go the distance for the things you believe in. Speaking of which, are you two thinking of going the distance?”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“I mean marriage. Have you at least considered it?”  
  
“Let me dare say that it’s still too early to think about it, but I believe that we have taken a big and serious step by moving in together already.”  
  
“That’s correct. If you were rushing it, I wouldn’t have liked it. Good that you’re not. Both of us and also the other relatives never took Dany for the type that would get married. Too independent, maybe a little bit too spoilt but who can say anything about it? I’m glad you’re making her happy and that’s what counts at this point. Anyway, enough about it now, the game is within 15 minutes so turn the tv on and let’s get to those damn seats.”  
  
_***  
  
Her mother was so bothering her.  
  
She was inspecting every corner of the damn flat. She had started with their bedroom; Dany hadn’t let her in to the study where both of them had a spare table with their computers and all other work related stuff. After visiting the guest room and the tv room, it was coming back to the kitchen time.  
  
“ _This is a fine apartment. Is this his own or his parents’ place?”  
  
“His parents’ but you know that they live in Tarth. They only come to KL when it’s check-up time for his father.”  
  
“Are you two throwing wild parties and trashing the apartment on a regular basis?”  
  
“There’s no time for that mom. You know how busy it gets at work. He’s even busier than I am nowadays, it’s like hell for him. Most of the time he gets home like a train wreck and he just collapses to the couch.”  
  
“Oh poor boy. You are cooking for him, right? It’s unacceptable if you aren’t!”  
  
“Well he’s better than me in the kitchen but sure, he lets me cook when he’s insanely tired. Usually he does the cooking and I handle the dishes though. Especially when he makes it home earlier than I do.”  
  
“Well, good that you have some balance there. You haven’t had any big fights right? He really seems like a nice gentleman but one always wonders after seeing your past conquests, if they have some baggage that they are hiding.”  
  
“Are you here to criticize me mom or are you actually being supportive? He’s the perfect gentleman and I am actually in love with him. With him everything is easier and I’ve learned to confront my feelings with him.”  
  
“Wow. You mentioning love and confronting feelings? That’s a huge step for you. I guess we do need to congratulate him for having such an effect on you. Has there been talk of marriage? Be honest about it, I need to know.”  
  
“No, not yet. We had only talked about it once, way before we started dating and he was open to the idea back then. I don’t know about it now and I seriously don’t need to put more pressure on him like a needy schoolgirl. He’s done so much for me and we’re doing really fine together.”  
  
“Alright then. Of course as your mother I would like to see you in a beautiful wedding dress, walking down the aisle but no rush necessary. I think he will come through with that. He looks like he will.”  
  
“How do you know that mom?”  
  
“Oh can’t you see Dany dear, he’s doing everything to please not just you, but us as well. This invitation was his idea, right? You wouldn’t think of something like this. The most you would have done would be to try visiting twice for one week to compensate and then go back to normal.”  
  
“It was his idea, yes. He’s quite thoughtful with matters like that and while we were discussing this, he actually referred to you as family too.”  
  
“Good. He’s a fine and responsible gentleman, who knows what he is doing so let him be.”  
  
_With that, they went back to the living room and the game was about to start. They had changed and re-arranged the seating plan so her dad would get a good view of the tv and that had affected her and Jon’s usual seat. She was dying just to press her back into his chest and watch the game as he held her, but they had to be content with just holding hands during the game. She again felt like she was in high-school for a brief moment but quickly gathered herself as Jon gave her hand a light squeeze. Luckily the game wasn’t that stressful, as the Wolves had jumped to a twenty point lead by half-time and cruised past their opponents with ease. That gave her hope for their possible trip to Valyria, because after all it depended on the team to make it there. She wouldn’t want to just go if the Wolves weren’t competing and she had told Jon about it and he had the same state of mind. Her parents luckily didn’t stay for long after the game and they were once again alone. Being tired from all the stress of the workdays and this dinner, sleep took both of them rather fast and she didn’t even remember how she fell asleep on Jon’s shoulder.  
  
***  
  
It was lonely in Winterfell.  
  
The whole week had felt gray, dark, wet and ugly. When she woke up for work, it was dark. When she drove to the headquarters, it was gray. When she went out for lunch with all those smug people of Davos Seaworth and Jon Arryn, it was ugly. The weather was shit, all the time. If only it snowed properly, then it would have been much nicer. This was the thing with the North. People didn’t like the cold, but they liked the beauty of snow. It preserved everything.  
  
It also kept the anger within her alive.  
  
Petyr Baelish was arrested and kept within the quarters of Golden Company. He was found guilty on so many levels that, it was up to them to actually assure his safety, because in any ordinary prison, he wouldn’t live to see the daylight. The exposure had turned him into one of the most hated individuals in the country and putting him into the same prison with the other political prisoners? There was no chance in hell that was happening. Jon Arryn had told her to be patient. It was apparently one of Seaworth’s promises to the North, that he would make sure that Baelish would be given to the Northern justice for further crimes he had committed and would be again put on trial for his hand on Ned Stark’s murder.  
  
The North remembered.  
  
She wanted to think of other things, be done with all these past burdens and move onto a peaceful life where nothing like this bothered her ever again. Not her father’s still lingering political presence, the idea of not being used as a political tool and so on. She wanted those redundant, unwanted things to be gone from her life and never return. Politics had been all her life and she despised every person within these political circles.  
  
Except Jon.  
  
He wasn’t in this for the power or the influence. He just wanted to make a better living and expand in the right direction. “ _If I ever make a move in that direction someday, you should know that something in me has died.”_ he had said to her. He hadn’t necessarily changed, he was still the same Jon as a person, but he had adapted and transformed into something different for work reasons. He was colder, tougher and more distant at work. She had heard as much from Gendry during the past week. _“Boss has gone nuts.”_ he had told her and she had laughed at that statement. She knew that Jon would be terrorizing his crew, now the rallies had begun. All that mess was going on in King’s Landing and she was stuck here because she would be politically influential for Davos Seaworth. She hated being the tool here, away from everyone else. When she had learned from Jon that Lyanna Mormont and Gendry would be doing weekly shifts, she was both relieved and troubled. She had wanted to go through this period with Gendry’s comfort by her side, but she had blown it in totally the wrong way and Jon wasn’t happy. Still he hadn’t been utterly cruel with her and had made it clear that he was staying out of her personal life.  
  
Week one was done, Lyanna Mormont was going home and Gendry was to arrive tomorrow. Unfortunately the last plane from KL to Winterfell left before their shift at work ended so he would have to wait for the first flight on Saturday. She was gathering her things and getting ready to leave. Luckily Lyanna had been kind enough to actually bring some of their famous family scotch and gifted her a bottle, while thanking her for giving her the opportunity to work here in Winterfell. The bottle would be put to good use for sure, she knew it. Then again drinking it alone by the hearth wasn’t her favorite way of doing it. While she was getting lost in her thoughts, there was a knock on her door.  
  
“ _Ms. Stark? If you don’t need me for anything else today, I’d like to leave for the airport.”  
  
“Of course Lyanna, have a safe trip and see you in about ten days.”  
  
“Have a nice weekend Ms. Stark!”  
  
_With that she had left. “ _Everyone else but me finds joy in the thing they do nowadays.”_ she thought to herself. Her appetite was gone and she had practically lived on whatever food was prepared in the firm. Coffee in the morning and alcohol in the evening would do the rest of the trick. She had started smoking more than a pack per day again and she sometimes hated the feeling. Then again the stress was the cause of all this and lack of Gendry was annoying as fuck. When had she become so dependent on someone’s presence? Like never? That stupid bull of a man had somehow charmed his way into her life and she was very unsure about how that made her feel. Yes it was comforting enough, but at the same time she had started feeling dependent on him for comfort. Then there was another knock on the door. Assuming that it was Lyanna Mormont again, she huffed and talked through her teeth.  
  
“ _What is it this time?”  
  
_ The door had opened but there was no sound. She had her back turned to the door because she was gathering her stuff and she wasn’t in the mood for games whatsoever. When she turned towards the door however, she saw him.  
  
“ _GENDRY!”  
  
_ She jumped into his arms as fast as she could and kissed him. She had missed him and apparently the feeling was mutual. Still, he was almost a day earlier than expected and she didn’t know why. Once the kiss was broken, he slowly put her feet to the ground and looked her directly in the eyes. He seemed happy and relieved but Arya didn’t understand how he was able to be here earlier than expected so gave him a questioning look.  
  
“ _Boss gave me the afternoon off for the trip. I’m also doing the following week’s Monday with him. He’ll attend the rally here and told me to stay for the extra day. Then we are all to return with Seaworth’s plane apparently.”  
  
_ She had to be beaming with joy. She kissed him once more and then they left her office and got to her car. On the way home, Gendry told her about the gossip from KL, how Jon was the biggest pain in the ass now the final turn had come, about Oberyn’s proposal to Ellaria and so on. Apparently the storm was everywhere now, as the country was moving towards the elections with full speed. She was glad that Jon had sent Gendry a day earlier and he was actually coming to Winterfell for Seaworth’s rally. That would be a joy for sure and considering that Jon was Northern from his mother’s side, he was already quite loved in the North. Just when Gendry was about to conclude the matters regarding the project, the speakers of the car signaled that Jon was calling. Arya immediately took the call, because she had to thank him for this favor.  
  
“ _JON!”  
  
“Happy with your little present?”  
  
“Extremely happy. THANK YOU! I was really getting bored, apparently I got used to the more crowded office environment you guys have there.”  
  
“Oh you want to expand and compete with us now? Shame on you! And here I’m being nice to you. Silly me…”  
  
“Hahah no it’s not like that you idiot. I’m thankful seriously. So when are you coming? On the weekend or on Monday straight?”  
  
“I was hoping for Sunday morning so I could actually come and catch the Wolves game as well but Davos insisted that I travel with his team on Monday morning, so we’ll see then.”  
  
“Great! I’m really looking forward to it. How’s Dany doing, everything fine between you two?”  
  
“Yeah she’s alright, mainly managing Rhaegar on how to act like the managing partner nowadays so she gets home eerily tired most of the time. I left a little early today so, hoping to surprise her tonight.”  
  
“Sounds excellent! I wish you guys could come together, that would have been really fun.”  
  
“Well, keep your fingers crossed for the Wolves. If they make it to the playoffs, you know we’ll be there.”  
  
“Ah awesome! The playoffs are second and third week of April, right? After the elections, great!”  
  
“Yep. Alright then, enjoy your gift and I gotta go now. See you on Monday!”  
  
“Thanks Jon, see you!”  
  
_Once the conversation was over, all she could think about was getting home as fast as she could and getting into bed with Gendry. She would later order food, open a few bottles of wine and enjoy her weekend to the fullest.  
  
***  
  
She just couldn’t catch a break.  
  
Rhaegar was like a five year-old and he was really driving her to the edge. He was clueless, he was constantly making up something for her to stay a little longer, he was always late with the signatures, he had almost missed the inspection they had from the state and she was so close to reaching her limit. Still, trying to be a bit like Jon in the matter, she decided to let it roll for the time being. She would go complete Jon on him if that was necessary.  
  
And the time had come.  
  
The paychecks were late and even in their lowest of lows; Targaryen Architecture had never been late with the paychecks. Never even once under Viserys’ watch and surely never ever under her father’s rule. That disgrace had happened when she was in the best of moods. Jon had gotten off work early and had sent her a picture from the kitchen as he was making her favorite pasta. She was yearning to get home, get into her comfortable home clothing, have dinner with Jon and then blab about the day, followed by sex and sleep in his safe arms. Instead, she was still going through the stuff that Rhaegar had fucked up and her blood was boiling.  
  
Once everything was done, she stormed to his office and smashed the documents onto his table. That had gotten his attention and when he looked at her; she comfortably seated herself in the big sofa in the office and lit a cigarette. What came out of her mouth was surely going to change everything for her career and she had no idea yet.  
  
“ _Do you know that you are even worse than Viserys with managing this firm? I mean you absolutely suck. You are late to meetings, late with signatures and now you are late with the fucking paychecks. Seriously I am doing all the work for you here and just a week ago Jon had battered you into the ground for that. If you are wishing for another beating, you’re not getting it. I’m sick and tired of your incompetence, sick and tired of you holding me back on my personal life and this is I don’t know… the umpteenth time? Get your shit together Rhaegar, seriously do that because I’m not coming to work on Monday. Actually I don’t know if I’m coming to work next week because I’m so done with your stupidity. You fix things at home and then fuck them up at work or vice versa. You are a grown-ass man, almost 40 years of age and you still can’t multitask? I won’t take it anymore from you here. Once I hear that you got your shit together and everything’s back to normal, I might consider returning but until then you cannot call me for work related reasons because I will hang up on you. Seeing that you are even incapable of answering, I will see myself out. Enjoy your weekend.”  
  
_ She put out her cigarette and stormed off, grabbed her purse and coat from her office and left the building. Once she got into the car, she immediately called Jon because she really needed him and she was really sorry to have kept him waiting. Luckily he picked up the phone rather quickly and once she heard his voice, everything was better.  
  
“ _Hey honey, sorry that I’m late but I just left. Do we have enough wine? If we don’t, I should buy some because I need A LOT of wine tonight.”  
  
“We do have lots love, no need to buy extra, unless you plan on drinking five bottles by yourself.”  
  
“No no, a bottle max. I wouldn’t want to endanger the evening because I need to spend a lovely evening with you still. I’m sorry that I kept you waiting but Rhaegar was a pain in the ass but anyway, I’m coming home now so will tell you once I get there. Do you want me to pick up anything?”  
  
“No darling, just come home. All I need is you.”  
  
_That had made her smile. He always knew how to make her smile. Going home to him and explaining her outburst was going to be a little weird but he had always been supportive with her and her decisions. She hoped he would be supportive again this time. Luckily for her, there was no traffic and she had reached home in about thirty minutes, which was sheer luck. She quickly got into the flat and threw herself into his arms. He already had a glass prepared for her so after that big hug, she immediately downed the glass and sat down.  
  
“ _I need to tell you something but I don’t know how you’ll react so it scares me a little.”  
  
_ ***  
  
“ _…I kinda quit, but then again it’s not really official. I just said to him that I’m not showing up for work until he gets his shit together, but then again I don’t know if I actually ever want to show up again. I’m so done with that shit, I don’t want to take it anymore. The ride, the traffic, the stress, and then the way back… Fuck all of that. I get paid enough sure, but I noticed that since I’m a partner I make some money even if I don’t go anyway. Of course unless he buries the firm to the ground but seriously, there is no way that he’ll fix things with me there. He needs to be isolated and left on his own. Only then he understands how dire the situation is and then acts on it. Yeah… that was what I wanted to tell you.”  
  
_ Jon had been listening to her rant about it for about ten minutes now. He hadn’t interrupted her, hadn’t said a word, just quietly listened to everything she said with intent. He was very proud and happy that she had stood up and actually delivered justice. Even the economical part of it didn’t bother him. Nowadays it was easy to say that he was making enough money for two and they didn’t spend all that much anyway. Plus it was easy to get Dany some freelance gigs through some friends so he didn’t bother himself with that part. Once she was done, he squeezed her hand first and then held her. After a quick kiss and a brief silence, he decided to talk.”  
  
 _“Apart from being supportive with your decision, I have to say that I’m extremely proud that you stood up to him on your own and shit all over his face. He had it coming for a while now. It was just last week when I warned him about this and he fucked up in like five work days? Pff… You might be right about him being isolated at work might help him to actually take some responsibility.”  
  
_ He stood up and started walking circles in the living room. He had to come up with something fast so that Dany wouldn’t be bored to death at home or feel useless about anything. He knew it in his heart that she was desperate to take time off for sure but this was his busiest time ever and it wasn’t going to be easy for at least another month. Finally gathering his thoughts, he continued.  
  
“ _Not that you need my approval in anything, I’m a hundred percent on board with your decision here. You need time for yourself because you didn’t get any proper rest for uhm, maybe over a year? So take all the time you need and whatever you need from me, just let me know. Now it’s a shame because it’s the busiest time of the year for me but I promise to make time for us on the weekends at least.”  
  
_ “ _Oh Jon, you’re so sweet but you don’t need to be with me all the time at this point. I understand your workload and why you considered the things you did. We’re not gonna have problems like we had in the past. This won’t cause us to drift apart at all. I’ll be home and you’ll come to me in the evening so let me just take care of you when you’re tired. I want to do it. Not in the perfect housewife way maybe, but I do. I know you won’t overstep and you’re used to handling things on your own but it will be fine. Just enjoy the comfort of it during this busy time. It should be good for you too.”  
  
“I have no doubts there because you’re an angel anyway. Still, you have been so used to working really hard and being busy all the time. Once it’s suddenly cut loose, anyone can feel a little down after some point. I don’t want you to go through anything negative like that. I’ll talk with Davos to see if I can take you with me to the trips that I’ll need to take next month. It’ll give us time together on the road and I won’t be missing you when I’m away, even for a day.”  
_  
She jumped into his arms after that. Gods, he loved this woman and he knew he wanted to be with her all the time. He had hoped for a smoother transition for her but they would have to make do with the situation now and he knew that they would. In any case, now wasn’t the time to think all that, it was time to relax and chill while they could. They moved to the kitchen and while he ate, he watched Dany happily devouring her food and found joy in that. If she was happy, then so was he. Once the food was done with, they moved to the bed of pillows that Jon had prepared from across the tv and just lay down there with a glass of wine in hand and just talked. Jon loved it when they were able to spend some quality time on their own at their own home. After minutes of crisis mode laughter and some pain in their cheeks and abs, Dany got serious and cupped his face.  
  
“ _Jon, I need to ask you something. When I look at your close friend circle, the women seem like they sort of refrain from working hard for their careers. I see that Elia works maybe two days per week with those modeling gigs, you told me that once they are married, Ellaria is going to resign from the ministry as well. Plus Val had told me that once they tie the knot with Tormund, she might exit corporate life and just start managing Tormund’s band. Do you expect a similar approach from me in the future? I’d like to know that because I cannot picture myself not working or staying home like a trophy wife ever.”  
  
_ That was out of the blue. Jon had pretty much never looked at things like that. He had started working when he was seventeen and hadn’t stopped ever since. Even through his studying years he would play live gigs, teach piano and music theory for kids. When he thought of it, people around him actually _were_ like how Dany had described them to be. Then again the conditions were different for each of them but did he really expect something like that from Dany? He knew that the thought never crossed his mind so the answer to this was clear.  
  
“ _No not really. I think you should do what you want to do with your career. I don’t expect you to change course for my sake at all actually. The thing with all these people is, both the Lannisters and Martells have been in business for so long, longer than your family firm that they are quite established families with no economic problems. When you look at it, Elia easily quit her job in the State Opera & Ballet, because her parents could have provided if she was in need. In any case Jaime had been in the business more than I had been so he had more savings, while I was studying and spending in Braavos. His brother Tyrion’s wife isn’t working either, but considering that their baby is barely a year old, I guess that’s normal. To my knowledge, the ministry has an extra severance package covering the spouses and it would be quite advantageous for Oberyn and Ellaria in that case. With them, Oberyn will be the traveler for the ministry, so I don’t exactly know about their dynamic all too well. I haven’t talked about their plans with Val, so can’t say anything on that.”  
  
_Dany was listening to him intently so he decided to wrap the subject up before it became too long.  
  
“ _Like I told you, people who have worked heavily for a period of time just wouldn’t want to stay home and feel empty about it. You work wherever you want to work, do whatever you want to do, I will support your decisions. My only concern is your health and well-being that’s all. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”  
  
“More and more I think about it, the collective idea looks better in my eyes. Do you think it’s feasible? I mean the idea is perfect but the planning and the execution would need a lot of thinking and work actually.”  
  
“I think it’s feasible, but for that we need to expand from that goddamn theater-studio and actually have at least one more office. We can’t just pack everyone in there and you know how small it is with the stage and so on. It’s only for 40 people and well, it sure makes enough money but that needs to expand as well. Plus we pay rent to that and it’s not convenient if you ask me. Jaime has considered buying a place but he’s not so sure about it either at this point. This campaign’s success will clear our path in so many ways. No more political blockades, no need to look for work with those conservative companies. Most of them will immediately change course after what happened to the Tyrells and Robert Baratheon.”  
  
“So you are supportive of my career in every possible way, am I correct?”  
  
“You are absolutely, one hundred percent correct.”  
  
“Have I told you before that I love you so much?”  
  
“Yes, but I’m more than happy to hear it every now and then.”  
  
_***  
  
He was supportive. He was with her and he was on board. It felt great to be backed in such a thing. Still, she needed to face her dad with the decision she had made and for some reason it didn’t feel all too difficult. She really was going her own way and boy she loved the feeling of it. They had discussed it throughout the evening and Jon was even supportive with the idea of her running her own business, looking for clients and contracts, even without the collective being officially formed. “ _You can work from home for the time being and once the campaign is through, I will reduce my office days as well.”_ he had said to her and the idea was delightful. For a brief moment she felt like she had just graduated from the university because that was the last time she had felt so excited about her job.  
  
The weekend was simply wonderful. The weather was shit maybe, but they didn’t need to be outside. Jon was again fully on board with her plans like ordering comfort food, drinking daytime beer, playing old Play Station games, watching some good old live concerts, constructing a 3d puzzle and so on. He, who couldn’t stay home after 24 hours, had agreed to spend 48 with her, without stepping outdoors for once. When she had mentioned that she needed to talk with her father alone, he was again understanding and supportive. “ _It’s natural that you want to do it on your own.”_ he had said to her and he was right. That confrontation had been coming for a long, long time and even if her father would try blaming Jon for this new-found wave of independence, she would put him in his place in the politest of manners.  
  
Come Monday, Jon had to leave for Winterfell so he had to get up around 5 am and leave for the airport. He was already gone when she had woken up and when she went to the kitchen to make coffee, she found this little card on the kitchen table, next to the plate that was prepared for her.  
  
“ _I know you like to skip breakfast, but I prepared this for you before I left. Eat it when you feel like it and make sure you kick some ass today. I love you.”  
  
_ Oh gods, this man… Even when he was in turmoil like this, he still cared for her. Dany had never thought in a million years that a man could be this caring and wonderful. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to do these things like he did, because he really did have a mind for these little surprises. It warmed her heart and gave her courage. His support meant the world to her and there was no lack of it, ever. Once the coffee was done and drunk, she decided to actually go through with the plate he had prepared for her. There were tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, walnuts and a couple of slices of ham. Knowing that she didn’t like cheese at all, he hadn’t put any and she loved how he paid attention to these details.  
  
After consuming the whole plate, she hit the shower, did her hair, dressed as nicely as possible and decided it was time. She didn’t want to bother herself with parking or public transportation, so she called a cab and headed directly to her parents’ place. Her mom was quite surprised that she came during the day but didn’t question anything at that point. Aerys Targaryen however, was sitting in his comfortable sofa-chair in the living room and had a cold and unnerving look in his eyes. She wasn’t going to hesitate at all. She would speak up, stand up for herself and be done with this in a matter of minutes to go back home, get some free time to herself and then prepare a surprise dinner for Jon, who would get back from Winterfell in the evening, quite worn out. She sat down onto the sofa that stood right across from her father but didn’t get too comfortable. It was now or never, so she decided to begin.  
  
“ _Dad, I need to talk to you about something. Something very important for my future.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word-count wise, this was the longest chapter I've written so far and I hope you all enjoyed it!
> 
> The proposal idea is again, taken from a real life event and slightly fictionalized and it occured a little bit more than a week ago. I have another wedding to attend during the summer now and luckily weddings are always good excuses for having lots of fun and drinking a lot!
> 
> A few dramatic events will still occur during the story in the chapters to come but it won't overpower anything, since it's very clear that Jon and Dany are very solid, stronger together and they are both getting better with their decisions and executions.
> 
> I would like to thank once again to all of you who read and comment! Always a pleasure to read lovely comments on chapters and I really appreciate you all expressing your feelings after each chapter, so thank you so much!


	22. In Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Issues resolve.

“ _Now I know about that big saying. Actually I’m quite sure everyone in Westeros knows the saying very well. THE NORTH REMEMBERS, right? I might not be from the North, but I do believe in Northern justice. I believed in Ned Stark back in his time. We all did and look what they did to him. They conspired against him, murdered him and let the case go cold by putting the blame on some drug addict. I know the North wants justice. The people of Westeros want justice and justice, we shall get. We shall deliver. Once we break our chains, people will have freedom. WE, will have our freedom and our voice will be heard. I came here to Winterfell, not just as the presidential candidate, but a humble man from Cape Wrath, whose heart beats with the North. Come spring, I hope to be your humble servant officially, provided that you deem me worthy of the position. This has been a long and cold winter but we dream of spring together. Once spring arrives, we will be working for a better tomorrow, a better future, this I promise you!”  
  
_ The cheers were deafening. This was the first time in many years that a presidential candidate who wasn’t from the North actually had the balls to hold a rally in Winterfell. People clearly liked Davos Seaworth and Arya wondered if her presence on stage had something to do with it. She didn’t know Davos all too well, but at least knew that he was on good terms with his father back when he was alive. The promise of justice and a better tomorrow clearly was good enough to work the people of the North, for they hadn’t been treated like citizens of the republic for a long, long time. Jon had written Seaworth’s speech himself this time and probably this was going to be the last time that he’d ever do it. It was Jaime’s job originally, but Jon being half Northern had been the decision maker this time.  
  
Once Davos stepped down from the stage, the crowd started leaving the great Winterfell Stadium. Davos had originally wanted to handle the rally in the Wolves Arena, but when it was heard that participation would be over fifty thousand, they decided that the stadium would be the better choice and they had gone with that. Arya wasn’t the best with detecting how crowded a place was, but the first aerial reports suggested that there were over a hundred thousand people in attendance. That was huge and it was almost a guarantee that with those cheers and support, Davos would sweep the North as well, which brought him one step closer to presidency. Once she got to the back of the stage, she noticed that Jon was pointing out some details to Gendry from the broadcast recording of the rally. They definitely were going to have clips made out of that big speech for social media platforms. They both looked so focused on work so she decided not to interrupt them and quietly continued moving. In a small set designed for the candidate, Davos was having a cup of mulled-wine, one that he desperately needed after that speech under the harsh cold of the North. Noticing her, Davos engaged in a friendly chit-chat.  
  
“ _Glad to see you Ms. Stark. Did you like what you saw?”  
  
“I sure did. This is a first for the North, you know that right.”  
  
“I was told so. Glad to be a part of it.”  
  
“Good. Care to discuss some private matters with me if you have the time?”  
  
“Of course, please take a seat.”  
  
_With that, she knew she was going to get her way. A trial wasn’t what she wanted or needed. She wanted to see justice served on so many different levels, so she told her story to Davos, without leaving any detail behind. How she had to flee the country after her father’s assassination, how Jon had took care of her in Braavos, later Jon Arryn smuggling her back into the country, how Baelish figuring out who she was and having her kidnapped and sold to the Freys, all the psychological torture she had to endure while she resided in the Twins. The presidential candidate had listened to her with serious eyes and didn’t seem to miss a beat with her story. Once she was done, the old man casually lit a cigarette and offered one to her.  
  
“ _Now you know that we promise to do everything by the books. However this is a different case with you and Baelish here. Yes, we got that scum and now are extracting every piece of information via unconventional means. Once Greyjoy is dealt with, he will answer for his crimes as well. Meanwhile, as long as he stays alive, you can do whatever you want with Petyr Baelish for all I care.”  
  
_ Arya liked what she had heard. This was what she needed and clearly Jon Arryn had briefed Davos about her situation and her needs. They probably saw this as a favor for Ned Stark’s only living child, not to mention that it was really helping them to bring the North to their cause. Arya knew it in her heart that Seaworth was going to win this term and if he chose to campaign for a second, he would most definitely win again. Then it would be Jon Arryn following him, which would give them a long time to deal with all the corruption from the Greyjoy reign. Satisfied, she stood up and shook the man’s hand, bidding him good luck for the rest of the race and headed outside of the back stage, back into the production area where Jon and Gendry were just wrapping up their work.  
  
“ _Do any of you want to have lunch? I’m starving.”  
  
_ Jon just looked at her and huffed. Just when he was about to say something, his phone rang and since it was Jaime calling, he had to take it, so he left them alone. Arya looked at Gendry, who looked tired and worn out. He almost looked upset, but then again that’s how he looked most of the time when he was working so she decided to break the ice.  
  
“ _Something wrong?”_ _  
  
“No, not really. I mean the fact that I haven’t slept much and actually will need to edit everything during the flight kinda sucks but no can do at this point.”  
  
“So you’re not staying for lunch I gather?”  
  
“Unfortunately no. We’ll need to leave maybe in ten minutes max. Davos is very precise with his timing and despite having a private plane, he acts like he’s taking international flights. In any case I have work to do and boss wants everything ready by the time we land. This is gonna be really stressful for me.”  
  
“I’m sure you can take care of it. Do you need anything from me?”  
  
“Having you around would have been nice but then again, you’ll need to stay here for a while more I think, right?”  
  
“Unfortunately yes. Lyanna is supposed to be running the things at the office today, but tomorrow I’ll take over for the rest of the campaign again. Thanks to Jon my company is making money but at the same time this is very stressful and I hate it. I also hate that I need to be apart from you for another week now.”  
  
“I think that’s the least of your worries. In any case once this is over, I doubt we’ll even be able to spend weeks together like this. You’ll be mainly in Winterfell or Harrenhal and I will be working down in King’s Landing. You might want to think about that for the future.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“I mean that our honeymoon phase will be over once this campaign comes to an end and we’ll need to decide with where we’re going. Now I know that you hate King’s Landing and you have a steady job with steady income and you probably will think of your comfort firstly. In my case, I came from nothing and I really owe it to Jon and Jaime. I just started making a standard living so you know my situation.”  
  
“This isn’t the time to talk about this. Please, let’s just leave it like that for the time being. I don’t want either of us to say anything that we can’t take back.”  
  
“Why are you being like Jon so suddenly? He also acts like this whenever the conversation is heading to a place that he doesn’t like?”  
  
_Suddenly Jon had interrupted.  
  
“ _Who’s being like me and what do I do?”  
  
_ Tears had formed in her eyes and if Jon noticed it, all hell was going to break loose. He took one look at her as the silence kept on creeping. Then he pulled Gendry and faced him. She could only see the anger in Jon’s eyes.  
  
“ _If I see her with tears in her eyes because of you one more time, that will be the last time you have eyes. Now get to the transport and do not even think of speaking to me until we reach King’s Landing.”  
  
_ With a nod, Gendry had disappeared, without saying anything to her. Jon was fuming with anger and Dany wasn’t around. This was going to be really bad because nobody could calm him down at that point and the last thing she wanted was an argument between Jon and Gendry because of her. Then Jon gave her a big hug and kissed her forehead. His eyes were actually warm and caring.  
  
“ _That should scare him off for the time being. I heard the last part of the conversation and he seriously needs some sense beaten into him. I’ll take care of it once we go back to KL. Meanwhile don’t contact him, don’t say anything and let him suffer. That idiot has absolutely no idea who he’s dealing with. He will come to you and apologize, I’ll make sure of that.”  
  
“Jon…”  
  
“No, you don’t interfere. He needs to learn this the hard way. I cannot have this happening regularly and to be honest neither can you. You will kill him in the end and you still are too young to go to prison I’m afraid. Therefore leave it with me and I’ll get you the result.”  
  
_She hugged him dearly and muttered thanks continuously. She was so close to being broken but Jon was again there, just in time. He was right, this couldn’t keep on happening so things needed to be fixed for good. Once the campaign was over, she was going to make sure of that.  
  
***  
  
“ _Dad, I need to talk to you about something. Something very important for my future.”_   
  
The silence was nerve breaking. She had to start from somewhere and she had to start quickly enough, otherwise she was going to collapse and it wasn’t going to be nice. Her father wouldn’t hesitate with stepping all over her if that happened and she would be sent packing to work tomorrow. It was now or never and she knew she was right. Plus she had Jon’s backing and remembering that immediately raised her confidence. She cleared her throat and began talking.  
  
“ _The paychecks were late. Yes, that happened last Friday under Rhaegar’s watch. I’ve been doing his work for him since Viserys has been kicked out of the firm for the better but your son has been a disaster so far. He took a beating from Jon the week before, but still didn’t come to his senses. So I lashed out at him, told him that he was a failure at his job and sort of rage quit on the spot. I’m not going back to work this week and I told him that if he gets his shit together, then maybe I’ll consider going back. However I don’t see myself going back there at all.”  
  
_ Her father just watched and listened calmly. It was almost like he wasn’t there or she wasn’t there. That was a little bit discouraging for her because she was in the dark until he spoke. Getting a little bit more comfortable in his seat, he finally made eye contact with her and started laughing.  
  
“ _Why are you laughing dad?”  
  
“Why am I laughing? Why did you even tell me what happened anyway? I don’t work for Targaryen Architecture anymore. I haven’t been working there for more than a year and a half now. This is not my business anymore. If your managing partner was incompetent and you kicked his ass for it, then I have no problems about that. As your father I approve your behavior because that’s how I raised you.”  
  
“Dad seriously, you are the most judgmental person on this planet. Some sarcastic remark is on its way, I can sense it.”  
  
“No my dear girl, I simply don’t care even if Rhaegar buries the firm to the ground. Maybe you should care a little bit more because you own one third of the shares. I mean your sister definitely doesn’t care because she doesn’t need her shares at all. So it’s completely up to you to do what you want to do with your future. You can quit, you can enter into an agreement with Rhaenys to buy Rhaegar out, or you can sell your shares and start over. I practically don’t give a shit.”  
  
“Really dad? I came here expecting a moral lecture on how to run a firm and so on and this is what you gave me? Wow, the world is indeed changing.”  
  
“Just tell me one thing honestly. Does Jon have a part to play in this decision of yours?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Does he support your decision?”  
  
“Yes, but I don’t get it, why are you asking this?”  
  
“You may not have realized it but he is your future family. Finally you have moved out from this place and moved in with the man you love. Now I like that kid, he’s got balls, lots of courage and a slick mind. Plus he’s quick on his feet and he knows how to behave. If he’s supportive then there’s nothing for me to worry.”  
  
“But I don’t understand really. I mean I understand the future part sure, but aren’t you a little too trusting with him about all this?”  
  
“Has he done something that should make me NOT trust him? I don’t think so. He probably has planned two or three moves for you before acknowledging his support. That boy is always a few steps ahead of you and that is what’s going to save you in the future.”  
  
_Then it came to her. She had said it herself back in Dragonstone. He would quickly plan and decide, then wait for her to understand and digest. So he actually had done the math and then approved. She wasn’t in the mood to understand that but he was always like that in crisis mode. The thought made her smile. He had asked her about her options, told her about the collective idea, questioned if she had the chance to go on her own and so on. He didn’t want her stressing about any of the things that wasn’t in her hands and he was laying the groundwork for her to gain her freedom. She had just done it earlier than expected in a moment of rage but apparently he found it feasible and had approved. All this was going to make her decision easier.  
  
“ _Alright then. Since you don’t care that much, I will sell my shares to Rhaegar or to Rhaenys, whoever is interested in buying me out and I will leave. It is time for me to take that one big risk and I will take it now.”  
  
“Once again, not my problem. You have our support in any case. We may not be able to back you financially that much, but you have our support once you’re out of the firm.”  
  
“Thank you dad, I really appreciate it. I should probably get going now. I want to surprise him once he’s back from Winterfell.”  
  
“Off you go then. Have fun with him.”  
  
_With that, she took her leave and dropped by the kitchen to talk to her mom quickly before going home. She had apparently overheard their conversation and didn’t look all too happy about it.  
  
“ _What is it mom? You’re not happy that I’m leaving the firm?”  
  
“No dear, I’m glad that you’re doing things for yourself. I’m just worried about Rhaegar but he's a grown man and he should take responsibility now. If not now, when exactly anyway?”  
  
“Dunno mom. He needs to be on his own to actually get shit done. He’ll never step up with me being around and doing his work for him.”  
  
“Language Dany.”  
  
“Moom.”  
  
“In any case, you have a point. He needs to be on his own and make solid decisions. I will make sure that happens in the right way. Anyway, go now and surprise your boyfriend because he deserves it.”  
  
_When she left for home, she was beaming with joy. She checked her phone quickly and Jon had sent a text that he had just left Winterfell and was on his way to the airport. That gave her around four hours of time to be prepared and it was more than enough. She knew what meal she wanted to make for him, what drink he would want to have and she would dress sexy enough so that seducing him before dinner would be an option too. He was hers and she wanted to make sure that he never forgot that. _  
  
_***  
  
The flight back was stressful. He had to oversee the edits, read the reports of attendance, follow the reactions on social media, report to Davos and back to oversee the edits. Gendry would get tense every time he appeared in that part of the plane and couldn’t look him in the eye at all. Jon was still pissed about his behavior towards Arya and despite trying so hard to not to interfere, he actually had to and hated it. He was done with the work maybe ten minutes before they started their descend. He had hoped that he could get some sleep in the plane but that was impossible. Plus he still had to fix the Gendry situation and ask permission from Davos so if he could bring Dany on these trips as well. He decided that Davos would be easier to approach, since he was in a better mood. When he appeared in his private part of the plane, the old man immediately had him sit down and cleared the area so they would speak privately.  
  
“ _Seems to me like you’re here not on business but to ask a personal favor?”  
  
“You’re right sir. The thing is, my girlfriend just quit her job last Friday. She is in desperate need of time off and it’s good that she’s home and resting now, but since I’m insanely busy with the campaign and we travel a lot nowadays, I get to see her very little and it’s a bit troubling.”  
  
“I sense something bigger is lurking in the background though, but tell me what I can do for you Jon.”  
  
“She’s had some issues in the past and she still had them when we started dating but luckily after we moved in together everything has been normal. I fear that if she feels lonely at home, it might trigger her past traumas and she could slip back into the claws of antidepressants. Therefore I wanted to ask you if I can bring her to the trips as well, if it won’t be any trouble for you or your crew.”  
  
_The old man was silent for a while but there was a smile on his face. This was the thing he liked about Davos. His presence was always comforting and Jon felt that he could talk about anything with the old man. He looked at him with understanding eyes and nodded in approval.  
  
“ _Of course son. You have worked tirelessly for this campaign and we are so close to getting good results. I won’t have you worried about anything at home so you can work here in peace. Looking forward to meet your lady friend when we hit Casterly Rock on Thursday.”  
  
“Wow, really that soon? Thank you Mr. Seaworth, this really put my mind in peace. Thank you so much.”  
  
“Glad to be of some help. You’re a good lad and a very hard worker. Whatever success we found so far, we owe it to you and your partner.”  
  
“I think it’s still too early to say anything on that. I’ll happily approve that statement once you win.”  
  
_The old man smiled at him and he took his leave after that. Now it was time to deal with Gendry and he looked like he had something to tell him. As soon as he seated himself, Gendry appeared by his seat and delivered the folders, which were finished. That meant the editing had to be concluded as well, so just before he tried to escape to the other side of the plane, Jon intervened.  
  
“ _Sit. Now it’s time to talk.”  
  
_ He looked unnerved and he had good reason to be. Jon knew he could be very intimidating when he got serious and didn’t bark orders. Right across him there was a young man, who was trying to get his career going and was desperate to a certain extent. Jon had been in his shoes before and didn’t want to go hard on him for anything work related. He was good at his job, but the issue with Arya was completely something else and that needed fixing.  
  
“ _Business-wise, we’re all good. You’re doing an excellent job at the office, at the events and rallies so nothing to complain there. We discussed with Jaime that you’ll get a raise starting from next month. I never wanted to be a stereotypic asshole boss who never pays attention to the work done and only cares about money, so that’s that.”  
  
“Thank you boss.”  
  
“Now your personal life is none of my concern and as long as you’re not sticking it to my girlfriend, you’re free to be with whoever you want. Arya being a longtime dear friend doesn’t change that, however I won’t take it if you’re not treating her with the respect she deserves.”  
  
“I was just trying to make a point to her boss, it wasn’t like tha---“  
  
“No, you were being an asshole to her because of your personal insecurities. This isn’t how you deal with things in a relationship. Do you think if you asked nicely that we wouldn’t give you time off to actually deal with your problems once the campaign was over?”  
  
“No boss, not really but I thoug---“  
  
“No, you don’t do any thinking, don’t behave like you do. You just thought that you wouldn’t be able to cope with the distance and the stress and you would fuck this up. No such thing will happen and you will have some time in your hands once the campaign is done so you can work things out. But now once we land, you will call and apologize for being a jerk and never ever behave like that again. Understood?”  
  
“Yes boss.”  
  
“Good. Glad that we’re clear on this. Now go back to your seat and I will see you tomorrow.”  
  
_After the landing, Jon immediately took the vehicle that Seaworth’s team had provided for him and left for home. The traffic wasn’t that jammed yet so it took him around 45 minutes to get home. He was damn tired and all he could think about was his bed first. Not food, not Dany, nothing. Sleep was something he was craving like hell at that point. He opened the door and entered the flat. The living room was dimly lit with two candles on the table. The smell coming from the kitchen woke up his senses and only then he realized he had skipped lunch. Then he heard the music coming from the surround in the living room:  
  
 _I walk along the street  
Between a million people  
That I don't see  
Maybe they think  
That I am mad_

_I fell in love  
I'm in love with you…_

And then he saw her.  
  
***  
  
Randyll Tarly was dead.  
  
He was found dead in his sleep and his condition wasn’t discovered until one of his servants was able to gather her courage and actually barge into his room. Sam had been on the phone since the news broke and this was certainly a troubling case. Tarly had been their pot of gold before and during the campaign, plus they had made their contracts with him, which meant the prize money would flow from his accounts. Jaime didn’t like the old man at all, but his death was surely untimely.  
  
He took one look at Sam, who was on the phone with his mother and would probably leave for Horn Hill after the conversation was done. Jaime didn’t want to interrupt but he had to talk with Sam before everything would become clear. Jon had his ways with being able to ask such things in awkward times and when he did that, it never sounded awkward. He still had to be patient and at least wait for Sam to finish his conversation. He didn’t look upset or sad or even mad. Jon had mentioned to him once that Sam didn’t have the best of relationships with his father and old Randyll was feeding him the money for public image. Just before he got lost in his thoughts, Sam ended the call and looked towards him.  
  
“ _You know that I’ll need to get to Horn Hill so I should probably leave now.”  
  
“Of course man, anything we can do for you?”  
  
“No not really. I mean I know Jon is probably just getting back or has just come back from Winterfell but he must be a train wreck now because of the journey. I should probably talk to him before I arrive at Horn Hill.”  
  
“Something specific you need his help with, or is it some financial issue? I can help with that too if you really are in a hurry.”  
  
“Kinda yes and no. The financial part, I’m sure you can help. I was going to seek advice on how to handle the family matters, but then again you would know that better as well, having lost your father at such an early age. So maybe you are the right guy to talk with after all.”  
  
_Jaime smiled and made Sam sit down and locked the office doors to make sure nobody would interrupt them. Offering his friend a glass of scotch, Jaime both listened and comforted him. Sam went on and on about how his mother was really delicate, Dickon and Talla being so young that they wouldn’t be able to handle this rather well. Especially Dickon, whom his father thought that he would groom for the leadership of his company. Now it was going to fall on him and it sucked. No, Sam wasn’t sad or anything. He was sour and he didn’t want to move away from the art scene.  
  
“ _Well they might be young but they seem competent from what you’ve told me so far. If Dickon wasn’t so much under the influence of your late father, maybe he can hold the position and Talla could support him with the legal advice? After all corporate lawyers fit rather nicely to any position because they really are like skin changers. In any case, once this campaign is over, you’ll have pretty much time on your hands to arrange things. So I wouldn’t worry about that now. This is the time you mourn, be with your family and loved ones, take time off and be away from all this.”  
  
“You’re right. I should probably get going. Do you think you guys will attend the funeral? It would mean a lot to me if you all came.”  
  
“Of course man. Besides Davos will surely attend so it will be part of our duty anyway. I’ll let Jon know and we’ll be there.”  
  
_With a nod, Sam got up from his seat and took his bag. As he was unlocking the door, he scratched his head and then turned back to Jaime.  
  
“ _You might have found it inappropriate to ask about it and probably it would have been when we started the conversation but I just want you to know that the money will keep on flowing here. I still own one third of the shares at the worst, therefore have no worries. I have dreams about this place expanding, the same dreams we shared about the collective and my word is still standing. We’ll make sure that the dream will be realized.”  
  
_ Then he left. Jaime released the breath that he didn’t realize that he had been holding. Getting Sam on board was Jon’s biggest move ever and it had started the chain reaction for them. He had handled the crisis with him not around and that was a big relief. He then quickly checked the reactions on social media, both about Seaworth’s big rally in Winterfell and Randyll Tarly’s death. Not too many people were concerned with Tarly’s death but Davos and his big speech had already hit social media and was in all corners. He smiled to himself while reading some of the reactions. Some even made him chuckle but he kept on browsing. Then he took a look at the actual video and saw that a fine job had been done. “ _Jon probably oversaw the editing on the plane”_ he thought to himself. A work-crazed Jon would make sure that everything was done perfectly under any circumstance.  
  
He still had to finish the speech for Thursday’s rally at Casterly Rock. He was personally going to travel there as well, since it was his hometown and this was going to be Seaworth’s final metropolitan rally for a few weeks. They had agreed so that Sunspear, Storm’s End, Winterfell and Casterly Rock were the four main places that he needed to sweep and the old man looked like he guaranteed the first three. Get four and you were half-way there to the presidential seat. Afterwards more focus on smaller cities and with a week remaining, rallies in Harrenhal and King’s Landing would wrap up this campaign.  
  
He gave a call to his wife, told her that he was coming home and made sure that she didn’t bother herself with making any food. He felt like ordering from the Yi-Tish place across the street. They had taken a liking to that place and the food was always comforting. He grabbed his stuff, took his coat, took one final look at the office to make sure everything was done for the day and then left. Before starting his car, he wanted to give Jon a call but then thought that he could have already been asleep because the trip to Winterfell would wear down anybody and decided to send a text instead.  
  
“ _Randyll Tarly is dead. Make sure you give Sam a call once you see the message. No worries about the finances btw, he made sure of that before leaving for Horn Hill.”  
  
_ ***  
  
She was in a good mood.  
  
She had Jon’s backing and apparently now her father’s as well. She had gone in there expecting a beat down but the opposite had happened. After a quick grocery shopping, she had everything she needed to surprise Jon. He loved those Norvoshi style fried dumplings and those were quite easy to prepare. After coming home and changing into more comfortable clothing, she went to the kitchen and started preparing. This was the least she could do to make him happy and she would start with that. She wanted him to always remember that she was his and she wouldn’t let him go. Especially after a long work day, she would be there to comfort him, to make sure he got enough rest and didn’t suffer another burnout.  
  
Preparation of the food wasn’t that difficult at all. She had quickly gone through the filling mix and the dough itself. Maybe after an hour in the kitchen, she was ready for the cooking process. The sauce was quite easy as well. Plum tomatoes with chili sauce and sour cream would do the trick. She filled the frying pot with vegetable oil, put the dumplings into the fridge so they would chill and set and finally put the sauce on a very gentle simmer and went inside to change to a sexy outfit.  
  
It was very difficult.  
  
Jon wasn’t the type who paid attention to sexy underwear or lingerie. When he went out, he would always look classy but when they were home, he would have a t-shirt on, supported by shorts or some cozy home pants. She noticed that with him, she was going for comfort first and charming second. In any case the lingerie wasn’t going to cut it so she looked at the dresses but either found them too much for the occasion or just too homey that they wouldn’t look sexy enough. Then she remembered what he told her in Dragontsone.  
  
“ _You look so damn sexy with only my t-shirt on and nothing under it.”  
  
_ That was it. She needed to find one of his t-shirts, which wouldn’t be too large for her. Luckily his cabinet was so well organized that she didn’t need to look for long. She found one of her favorites, which would look tight on him and made her want to rip everything off him. It looked more like a dress on her but that was fine. It barely covered her butt so that would work nicely. She organized the table in the living room, arranged the lighting, after checking the time and seeing that Jon would be home quite soon, lit the candles and finally decided to put on some music in the background and poured herself a glass of wine. After a few minutes of waiting, she heard the sound of the door and knew her love was home.  
  
When she appeared at the entrance, he looked stunned. He was tired and clearly sleep deprived, she could tell but how she missed him in a matter of mere hours. He just dropped his bag and slowly moved towards her. She stepped on her toes and gave him a quick kiss but he didn’t let go. He held her and buried his face to her neck. He clearly was very tired but wasn’t letting her go. With a slick move he lifted her and then their eyes locked.  
  
“ _What’s this about? Have you prepared a surprise for me? Smells like dumpling sauce.”  
  
“That’s correct mister. There is your favorite food, your favorite Dornish red and then the main course.”  
  
“I’m guessing you are the main course.”  
  
“Depends on how you’d like to have me.”  
  
“I’d like to have you as appetizers, main course AND dessert if you’re okay with it.”  
  
“And why is that?”  
  
“Because despite I’m shit tired, you look so fucking sexy in my t-shirt and I love it.”  
  
“Mmm I thought you would say that and that’s why I’m not wearing any underwear.”  
  
_There was a brief silence after that and his hands slid down her back to her butt. He grabbed her butt and gave it a squeeze. She could see the naughty look in his eyes and she was loving it. Oh how much she wanted him to have his way with her right now but he was extremely patient and clearly enjoyed teasing her like this, despite being aroused.  
  
“ _You know, all I could think of on the way back was my bed and some sleep but now there is a change of plan. I’ll still go to bed but I’m taking you with me and I can assure you no matter how tired I am, we’re not leaving the bed until I’m done ravishing you.”  
  
_ That final sentence and the huskiness in his voice had completely made her wet. She yearned for him, wanted him badly and was super wet after what just happened. The distraction had been successful and the animal in him was unleashed. He then kissed her wildly and started making his move towards the bedroom. In a matter of seconds she found herself on the bed and his tongue in her folds. She was caught so off-guard that he made her moan immediately. How he tasted her folds, making her wetter and hornier, she never understood, but he completed her. Gods how this man had an effect on her and made her feel the pleasure so intensely. She felt her climax nearing and exploded soon enough but he didn’t let go. He would only get this turned on when something special happened or she really showed her love. The effort was worth it because he was driving her completely insane. She was yearning for him to be inside of her but he just wouldn’t let go. Her climax was approaching again and she noticed that she could tear the sheets apart if this went on for more. She came more violently that time and her whole body shuddered. He then slowly made his way up to her lips and kissed her passionately so she could taste herself. She couldn’t wait any more, she had to have him. She broke the kiss and just looked him in the eyes.  
  
“ _Fuck me. Please. Please I need you.”  
  
_ And he obliged.  
  
***  
  
They were lazily lying on the bed and he was telling her about all the stuff that had happened at Winterfell and on the way back. She was overjoyed to hear that she could travel with him starting already this week. In return, she had told him how her meeting with her father had gone and they were both happy with the news. He was so pleasantly surprised that he almost forgot his hunger but then he again smelled the sauce. That was their cue to get up and hit the kitchen. Dany again had put on his t-shirt and he couldn’t help but grab her ass while she was stirring the sauce and frying the dumplings.  
  
“ _You should be a good boy so I don’t splash any oil on us. I don’t want to get burned and handle all that traveling with burn marks all over us.”  
  
“You’re right, I should behave.”  
  
_Still, he couldn’t help smiling at how happy she had made him. He was grumpy and cranky when he had entered the flat and now he was beaming with joy. She put the finishing touches on their meal and led them to the living room, where there was still nice and soft music playing in the background. They ate in peace but very often Jon just put his fork down and looked at Dany, while smiling like an idiot. She really had made him so happy and he felt cared. When supported, his abilities really reached a different level and Dany had started supporting him unconditionally, which made him feel extremely confident.  
  
“ _What is making you smile like an idiot? You barely touched your food, it’s better when it’s warm, you know that.”  
  
“YOU are making me smile like an idiot. Plus the food is perfect. I mean not just the food, everything here is perfect. You’ve planned all this for me in between some stressful events and you made me feel special.”  
  
_He could see that Dany was blushing lightly but smiled at his words. She wasn’t necessarily overwhelmed this time like the times before, but still was visibly happy.  
  
“ _I just wanted to make you smile, that’s all. After all you’ve done for us, this is the least I can do and I’d like to do more.”  
  
“As long as you keep doing things like that, I’ll have the courage and the power to make bigger and better things happen. All I ever wanted was your love and support and you’re giving me both. That is making me the happiest man on this planet. You cannot imagine how much these things mean to me, even when they look like little things to you.”  
  
_And now she was speechless. He held her hand and their fingers intertwined. Now it was her turn to smile like an idiot and he loved it. He did finish his food before it got cold and they moved to the big sofa from across the tv and enjoyed their wine. Only then he remembered that he should check his phone for any new information he might get for work and make sure that he let Seaworth’s team know that Dany was now coming with him to all rallies. Then he saw the text from Jaime and the world froze for a moment. His face must have shown that he had got some bad news, because Dany had left the sofa and was within touching distance. Hesitantly she touched him and asked.  
  
“ _Jon, what’s wrong? Has something bad happened?”  
  
“Randyll Tarly is dead. I should call Sam.”  
  
_Eight minutes and two phone calls later, he returned to the living room where Dany was sipping her wine. She had left him on his own for the calls and minded her own business meanwhile. Jon took his glass from the mid-table and sat down next to her. She immediately got close to him and moved under his arm. After a brief comfortable silence, Jon decided that it was time that he explained what would happen in the next few days.  
  
“ _So on Wednesday we head to Horn Hill for the funeral and after the funeral we move to Casterly Rock for Thursday’s rally. Jaime’s mother is hosting us and both Jaime and I got Friday off. So it’s either stay in the Westerlands for the weekend or we could get back here for some peace and quiet. What would you like to do after the rally?”  
  
“Uhm, I don’t know, probably stay in the Westerlands on Thursday but leave afterwards? I mean, you know Jaime’s mom but I don’t and I really wouldn’t want to be of much trouble for them by staying over the weekend. We could go to Harrenhal or someplace else for a while. Maybe even visit my sister at Summerhall if you’re up for it?”  
  
“Well to be honest, I didn’t want to stay in Casterly Rock for the whole weekend either, so how about this? We take the train to Harrenhal on Friday morning, tour around a little if you wish, maybe have lunch or dinner with Val and Tormund and then spend the night in God’s Eye? Then we could drop by Summerhall on Saturday to meet your sister and continue to King’s Landing so we have all Sunday to ourselves for being extremely lazy and doing nothing?”  
  
“This sounds wonderful. We’ll tour around a little and be lazy at the same time. I’ll call and tell Rhaenys that we’ll drop by on Saturday afternoon. We have tomorrow to pack, right? I’ll handle your suitcase as well, if you just let me know what you need to take with you.”  
  
“You are a delight, seriously. You don’t have to pack for me love, but it’s so nice that you think about these little details.”  
  
“I want to make you feel comfortable now that I have some time on my hands. I guess this evening was nice, right?”  
  
“It was wonderful. Thank you.”  
  
_They cuddled on the sofa and watched some stupid show until Jon again couldn’t keep his hands off of her ass and eventually everything led them back to the bedroom, where moans and screams of pleasure would take them through the night, because neither of them could get enough of the other.  
  
***  
  
It was frustrating to be stuck at the ministry.  
  
Plus the change of plans about his reposting was a bummer. Oberyn had thought that he would spend the next three or four years here in King’s Landing, but now that the plans looked like he would rather be reposted to Myr, come next November. He was going to get married in the summer and there was too little time to spend with Ellaria, before he had to get going again. She had been very understanding about all that, as she knew how the things worked in the ministry so she had started saving money immediately. Still it was a bummer and he really wanted to be here to oversee some of the changes starting under Seaworth’s reign.  
  
At the same time, he wasn’t going to be able to attend Tarly’s funeral. Not that he liked the guy or anything, but his help to his friends had certainly been a game changer. Jon and Jaime spearheading Seaworth’s campaign had changed the landscape of the voting and those little schemes they had run had cleared the way for Davos to rise to the top. In any case, under strict orders from Hoster Tully, he wasn’t allowed to be in the same environment with neither Davos Seaworth, nor Euron Greyjoy. His heart however, would definitely be in Horn Hill, come Wednesday.  
  
He had shared his frustrations with Ellaria about these things and she was again very calm and soothing towards the issues. She was the more logical one in their relationship, no matter how good Oberyn was at controlling his emotions. When he looked around however, both Jaime and Jon were the brains in their respective relationships. Neither of them however, were afraid to display emotion when necessary. It had worn him out for many years now that within the diplomatic circles, he wasn’t allowed to display emotion. Still, where he wanted to be was at the rallies with Davos Seaworth, while he was stuck in the ministry of state and foreign affairs. He had hated using his father’s influence to move forward with his career, but he had finally reached that point where he could ask for one favor and he decided that he would use it now to prevent everything from slipping under his hands.  
  
Ellaria had waited for an extra hour for him to get out of work and because all their friends were getting ready for the trip to first Horn Hill and then Casterly Rock, nobody was to be found anywhere. He hadn’t been to Casterly Rock for a long time and actually realized that he had missed the damn place. Once he got down to Ellaria’s office and they left for their place, the feeling in him was all better. He was surer about his thoughts and emotions about his future and would cash in this favor now, before it would be too late. They got home, had dinner, enjoyed a glass of Dornish and then Ellaria had retreated to the study to do some reading and preparing, for the Norvoshi prime minister’s arrival the next day. It was time to make the call, so he dialed up his father’s personal number and didn’t waste time with the pleasantries.  
  
“ _Hello father. It is time that I cash in that promised and long awaited favor.”_  
 _  
  
  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter for a while and there are reasons for that. I'm not sure whether anybody cares at all but it's better to have an explanation anyway.
> 
> Firstly, the real life events that I have based this story on are quite often very difficult to process. The problems which had occured in the story were mostly the problems that I experienced and living them again isn't making anything easier. It's even more of a struggle to be creative with positive things that were dreamed of but never realized, so that's that.
> 
> Secondly, as much as I love writing, it stifles me and prevents me from being productive at my actual job. Once the creativity crisis strikes, it's really difficult to punch through that and as much as writing this story has been helpful with creativity, I still need to compose and I found myself not being able to do so for the past month. Unfortunately there is no real life Dany to help me get through that.
> 
> Finally, I came to the conclusion that nobody really cares whether I write this story or not. I don't have a habit of leaving things unfinished and eventually will come back to finish it but that's not now, not anytime soon. The outline is there, you can see that the story will finish with chapter 26 and that will be that.
> 
> I would like to thank everyone who has supported and read this story from the beginning. I'm not sure if any of this affects anyone and if it does, I'm sorry.


	23. Full Circle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time flies and as the title suggests, things come full circle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again after a short break! This is the longest chapter up to this point and after this break it seemed fit to me that this would be the case. There are short time skips used here to help the story advance to the point we reach by the end of the chapter. Hope you all enjoy this one!

She was super excited.  
  
They were on their way to Seaworth’s campaign center with Jon, Jaime and Elia. Finally getting to meet the one politician she had supported for years was almost a dream come true for her. Once the destination was reached, they would board the private jet and head to Horn Hill, however afterwards wasn’t necessarily clear. Jaime had said that maybe it would be better to stay in Horn Hill for a while, even after Davos and his people leave for Casterly Rock. It was a two-hour drive in any case, so that was another option too. She had understood that both Jon and Jaime wanted to be there for their friend but work was important as well and they wouldn’t be able to skip anything.  
  
Good news was that Jon’s workload was going to ease up after the rally at Casterly Rock. He still wanted to attend the rally at Starfall because it was his birthplace and Dany hadn’t ever seen it. He had arranged it so that they would spend an extra day there and then go back to King’s Landing. It felt great to be able to travel around and practically doing nothing other than being there for Jon. She sort of understood why Elia and Ellaria were okay with just taking a step back and practically supporting their men but when she thought of it, she wouldn’t be able to keep that sort of lifestyle forever. She wasn’t sure whether Jon would like it or not, but he had mentioned it more than once that he loved the fact that she was her own person and she stood out with her work. If one thing was for sure, Jon wanted her to work, but he wanted her to do things on her own terms, by not stressing too much and not over-tiring herself. All those years they had worked, they barely made enough to reach some sort of standard but once this campaign was over, she had this feeling inside her that things were to change for the better.  
  
The campaign center was the building next to the big area that she and Jon had first met. When she realized that, there were butterflies in her stomach. She held onto Jon’s hand and just showed him the area. He had a little smile on his face too and she understood that he probably felt the same thing as well. She then saw Elia’s eyes from the rear mirror and she had clearly noticed something was going on.  
  
“ _What are you two smiling about like idiots?”  
  
_ Jon had chuckled at the question and strengthened his grip on her hand. She felt that it was appropriate that she would answer so decided to do the talking.  
  
“ _This is the place where Jon and I first met. It was when Davos had won the election and was giving his victory speech. We haven’t been here together ever since and we both remembered it now.”  
  
_ The little explanation was met with awws from Jaime and Elia, who then remembered that they were dealing with Oberyn’s super drunk state that night and told about that story in return. It was a wild night of celebration and exactly one year later, Davos Seaworth could be celebrating the presidency, come April. With only two months left to go, Dany couldn’t help but think about how much had changed since the day she met Jon. She was free of her family’s clutches, no longer worked in that damned place, lived together with the man he loved and truly had come a long way.  
  
They had reached the campaign center when she was getting lost in her thoughts. Jon was already out of the car by the time she realized what was happening and actually was holding her door. He and Jaime had taken the suitcases and were ready to load to the big van, which was to support the whole crew’s belongings. Dany then saw the biggest man she had ever seen and he really looked scary. Neither Jon, nor Jaime looked fazed with him and Elia apparently was used to him but he looked _really_ scary so Dany had to ask.  
  
“ _Uhm honey… Who is that big man over there overseeing the suitcases being loaded?”  
  
“That’s Sandor Clegane. Why is everybody asking who he is all the time?”  
  
_“ _Err… Could it be because he’s huge? Like really huge?”  
  
“Sure he’s a big man but really friendly. Come, I’ll introduce you.”  
  
_He looked even scarier when they got close to him. Still once he saw Jon, a smile had appeared on his face and they started chatting.  
  
“ _AH SNOW, GOOD TO SEE YA. GLAD YER COMIN’, ALWAYS A BORE TO TRAVEL WITH THESE LOUSY FUCKERS.”  
  
“Hah, thanks for the compliment Clegane. Always a joy to travel with you, although this will be the last one until Starfall.”  
  
“TELL ME AT LEAST WE GET TO DRINK ONE BEER WITH YOU AND THE GOLDEN BOY.”  
  
“Well, neither of us is traveling alone this time, but I’m sure I can have a beer with you, provided that my girlfriend allows it. You guys haven’t met by the way. This is Dany.”  
  
_The big man had extended his hand to her and he was twice her size and she didn’t really know what to do. Her hand literally got lost in his during the handshake and she didn’t know what to say, so she just mumbled.  
  
“ _Nice to meet you… sir…”  
  
_ The response however, was sharp and quick.  
  
“ _I’M NO SER, LITTLE BIRD.”  
  
_ Little bird? She was trying to figure out what in the blue fuck was this guy thinking but then she saw Jon barely holding his laughter and actually the huge man had a smile on his face. Clearly it was some inside joke between them and she wasn’t getting it. Later on Jon had explained that Clegane actually called Arya a little bird because she was literally half his size too. The more she spent time with him, the more Dany got to like the man because he was honest, blunt and very direct. Just when they got a little too comfortable, Davos Seaworth and Jon Arryn arrived at the scene and it was time that they headed to the airport. Once again she had felt really excited about getting to meet Davos Seaworth but then Jon Arryn was there too and it was becoming maybe a little too much, too sudden. Still, she was with Jon, Jaime and Elia, plus Clegane hadn’t let anyone from his security team to be the driver since he had chosen to ride with them.  
  
Once they were seated and the plane took off, Jaime had started filling them in on the schedule for the trip. They weren’t going to be able to stay in Horn Hill after the funeral but apart from that, everything was planned. They were to have dinner at a fancy restaurant and winery at Lannisport called the Imp’s Delight. Apparently his brother Tyrion fancied the place a lot and wanted their opinions about the place as well, since he was thinking of maybe purchasing it. It all looked like a big double date to Dany and sure she was comfortable with these people and she was going to have her private time with Jon after the Casterly Rock rally anyway. Then a person from Seaworth’s team came by the place they sat and told them he wanted to see them. Jon and Jaime immediately rose from their seats and made sure their suits were in good condition but before they could get going, the messenger added a little note.  
  
“ _He wants to see ALL of you. Including the ladies.”_  
  
***  
  
“ _… on both of these occasions, we will be stressing the importance of family and loved ones. Now I know that it might sound a little opportunistic to you but then again you worked with Tarly and you are still working with his son, right? Therefore it’s important for the event that you show up as couples. Especially Jaime being a Casterly Rock native, he is likely to be the golden boy of the event there.”  
  
_ Jaime chuckled inwardly but kept his mask on. Sandor Clegane was the one who called him _golden boy_ and apparently his boss had taken a liking to the nickname as well. Elia looked thrilled to be on center stage but same couldn’t be said for Dany, as there was a look of panic on her face. He noticed that Jon squeezed her hand for assurance and she returned his gesture with a small smile. Meanwhile Davos went on with his explanation.  
  
“ _Now I know that neither of you have kids but my eldest, Matthos will meet us at Horn Hill with his mother Marya. Jon had always told me that being a family man would get me further in the people’s eyes and I thought that this was a good time for some show of strength on that department.”  
  
_ They were all nodding and it was clear to him that everybody wanted to get this conversation done with so they could go back to their seats and get away from all this serious stuff for a while more, at least until the start of the service. He knew that Elia would start getting uncomfortable in these long strategic and political talks because those didn’t interest her one bit. He also knew that despite being politically active, Dany found no pleasure in strategic talks and she clearly looked the part. Jon was trying his best to concentrate too but that was only visible to him, because he knew his partner very well, way better than any other person would be able to know. His mind was clearly someplace else but he would always do his duty. He made a mental note to ask him about it during the dinner at Lannisport.   
  
While Davos was enthusiastically going on and on about how the campaign had been a joy for him and he was really having the time of his life thanks to them, he was also very pleased with their effort and the commitment they showed to the cause. Surely he knew that they were in it for the money, but at the same time, he was clearly aware that they supported him from the heart and that was why they were doing their job rather well. Jaime hated the things that he _had to_ do and the same could be said about Jon. Knowing his wife, she was in the same ship with them and having quit her job to start fresh, Dany was no different. He had noticed the changes in Dany and those changes were for the better. She and Jon weren’t fighting anymore; Jon was always in a rather cheerful mood showing up for work and his commitment to the job was at an all-time high again. It was clear that Dany had affected him for the better, just as he had said to them that she would. They had their difficulties about believing that statement but witnessing that Jon was nowhere near under the level of stress that he suffered from and he was in a visibly better mood, that meant that he was right and Dany had come through. After Davos mentioning a few more details, Jaime sensed that the end of the long monologue was coming to an end and they would be free to go back to their seats and rest a little before the service would start. He then noticed that Sandor Clegane was staring at the mini-fridge, which was packed with alcohol. He was as bored as they were but duty came first to him too. Then Davos finally rose from his seat and Jaime knew that despite not having paid attention to anything he said for the past five minutes, it was their cue to leave.  
  
“ _Not all of you. I’d like Jon and Ms. Targaryen to stay a while more so I get to know her a little better.”  
  
_ ***  
  
He knew that this would be the time to stay silent, observe carefully and avoid interfering. Still, the silence was maybe a bit too much for his liking. There was a staring contest between Davos and Dany and apparently neither of them knew how to start the conversation at that point, which he found really amusing. He knew that Dany was super excited because she got to meet Davos and now was tongue-tied because of the rush. Luckily Davos was successful with getting a conversation going, so he was the one who broke the ice.  
  
“ _So Ms. Targaryen, tell me a bit about yourself. I know that you are Jon’s girlfriend here and we owe some of his performance to you as well.”  
  
_ Dany had blushed at the remark but after straightening herself in her seat, she started talking.  
  
“ _Well, I’m an architect, graduated from KLU and was working for Targaryen Architecture until last week. I uhm… am really noticing now that my work has dominated my life for the past few years, sorry. Still, architecture is an important part of my life, however I promised myself that it won’t rule my life anymore, so yes; I am an architect but apart from that I’m a huge Wolves fan, I try and catch the games as much as possible, deal with my family matters… You know actually a week ago I would have been able to answer this question quite simply. I would tell you that I was an architect working for my family company and that would be it. I’m sorry to go on about this but clearly I’m still not used to being unemployed.”  
  
_ Jon was frozen. He surely didn’t want to interfere but Dany had blabbed and choked and then blabbed again. She hadn’t necessarily said anything wrong and she was totally honest, he knew it but he just didn’t know how Davos was going to react to this. Lucky for them, the old man appreciated honesty a lot and he was chuckling at how panicked Dany was. He then signaled to Clegane for coffee and once he returned with three cups, the presidential candidate got comfortable in his seat and started talking.  
  
 _“You know that I was unemployed for almost two years after I graduated from the university. My first one at least… I was a fresh graduate from Storm’s End University’s political sciences department and was really idealistic about how to approach things. Then I was unemployed for two years and since I didn’t come from a wealthy family, I had to work shitty jobs. Eventually it came to me that I loved boat-making so I enrolled into the boat-making school in White Harbor. You can see the irony here right? I was so bummed out with my free time, that I started on something that didn’t make any sense related to my career. Now I know about your father’s old company and how they set your family up to take the fall for a grander scheme of things so that you would be exposed for a hostile takeover and so on. At this point it is good for you that you are away from your family’s business. Enjoy the stress-free time on your hands for a while, because back then I didn’t and I regret it every day.”  
  
_ That was way too honest and open, coming from the old man. He had only taken interest in his girlfriend, only because he had honestly asked for his help. A favor to be more specific, so that she wouldn’t slip back into that limbo of despair and here he was, trying to help. Dany was speechless and so was he. The old man however, had a smile on his face and he knew that he still had things to say.  
  
“ _Now I didn’t necessarily need you to tell me about yourself, we already have a background on you anyway. Considering that you would be coming on board, it was wise to have done so, right? I just wanted to see how you were doing and I wanted you to feel welcome here. Now I wasn’t joking when I told you that we owe it to you that Jon is such a tireless worker. After I visited him at the hospital, his mood gradually became better and I figured that it had something to do with you. Therefore I would like to thank you for taking care of such a brilliant young man, who clearly has tipped the scales in our favor.”  
  
_ He knew that he was blushing but Dany was looking at him with loving eyes. She would tell him later at Lannisport, he was sure of that, but still this was weird in a very positive way to have Davos Seaworth, the fucking presidential candidate to give her a little thank you speech and showing that he cared for both of them in a very elegant way. Just when he was about to open his mouth and say something, Davos silenced him with his hand held up high and continued.  
  
“ _Now we’re very close to the end and we can all see the finish line. Unless something really catastrophic happens, we will be the ones on the driver’s seat and crossing the line first. I would like to promise both of you here and today, with Clegane as my witness, that I will try to provide something for each of you, once this damn thing is won. This can be a financial help, something spiritual, or something that has sentimental value to either of you. You don’t have to say anything now, just know that you both have a favor to cash in with me, once this thing is done and won. Okay now, go back to your seats so you can find some peace there, instead of an old man like me blabbing about stuff. Go.”  
  
_ Dany was practically jumping with joy on their way back to their seats. Having met a sort of personal hero and getting treated so well had definitely made her day. Jon was used to the old man’s fatherly figure and his gentle approach towards the people he worked with. He hadn’t seen Davos angry not even once and certainly his unifying approach was the reason he had become so popular. People were tired of Greyjoy’s divisive approach towards the nation and the results were showing.  
  
Davos was right about one thing though. They were able to see the finish line from where they stood. Soon all this chaos was going to be over and they would be able to go back to their simple lives, where the most annoying thing for Jon would be something related to the studio and not being able to work in peace. Still they had to get through with this funeral today, the rally tomorrow and it was an extended weekend, which meant that he could breathe. Within a month, all of this was going to be over and boy he was looking forward to it.  
  
Soon the descend had begun and within a matter of minutes, they had landed. Jon hadn’t been to Horn Hill ever, so this was also a new place to explore. The uneventful and rather quiet ride to the mansion was gloomy enough. Even the idea of a funeral was rather unnerving and they were to attend one for multiple purposes. This was one way of showing their fellow friend their support but at the same time, it was campaign material and somehow he felt okay about it. Maybe it was because the late Randyll Tarly was an asshole who didn’t give a shit about the people around him and was never nice to anyone, unless they were good use to him. That’s what they had been to him for the past couple of months. Some good use for him to save face, before he kicked the bucket.  
  
***  
  
“ _I need this favor and I need this soon enough.”  
  
_ Oberyn was done with the ministry in his head. He wanted to get out of there and he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Davos looked like he was going to win this thing and the best place for Oberyn would be by his side. His father surely had the power to make this work but would he? That was the main question.  
  
“ _Name what you want Oberyn. It’s rather late for asking me favors on the phone but since you’ve had this one for years, I’ll listen to you.”  
  
“I want a place in Seaworth’s team after the race is done. Then I’ll resign and make the move. Make it happen because I need this. It has become unbearable in here and surely neither you, nor anybody wants me to relocate to Myr for the next two or three years.”  
  
“Done. You can only make it to his team of representatives at this point but will need to work your way up, unless your friend Jon decides to give up his position.”  
  
“I know he won’t continue and I know that he will recommend me for the position because it’s Jon. He wants to get away from all this because he thinks he doesn’t belong. I however, do belong there and he knows it. He’ll do the right thing because he always does in these situations.”  
  
“Nice of you to have so much faith in your friend but keep in mind that he has Seaworth’s ear nowadays. The man trusts him and wants to keep him once all this is done.”  
  
“He won’t be able to. Jon’s mind is set on this, trust me. Just make this happen and I’ll make sure that we keep our position.”  
  
“Very well, I’ll make the call. Monitor the situation closely and if I were you, I would talk to Jon about this.”  
  
“Will do. Thanks dad, now I owe you one.”  
  
_  
***  
  
Elia hated funerals. Despised them even, but this was their duty. Sam had become a good friend to all of them in short notice with his kind manners and helpful, problem solving approach. She could sense the tension around them, all these fat-cats in their armors and hiding behind their masks, waiting for someone to slip up so they could feast on them like vultures. At that moment, her thoughts wavered towards her brother, who was always in the middle of things like these. _Feasts for crows_ he had called them and while he liked the thrill of those, he didn’t like the people he had to interact with. When they had last spoken, her father had told her that Oberyn had been growing restless within the ministry and with the possibility of getting reposted to Myr, he was looking for a way out. She hated the fact that their family had to be apart like that, but since getting married, she had a new family of her own as well. She strengthened her grip on Jaime’s hand, who responded in the same way. At that brief moment she felt her heart warming and one look at Dany neutralized everything.  
  
She looked confused, visibly sad and disturbed. There was even a hint of anger in her eyes and when she looked around, she immediately recognized why. The Tyrell family were in attendance as well but that whore Doreah, was nowhere to be seen at first. Then she noticed her lurking behind her husband, Willas Tyrell. Elia didn’t know the first thing about the Tyrell family, but considering that they had tried to hurt her friend, they weren’t friends of hers for sure. She always thought herself to be politically clueless and let Jaime do most of the thinking for them and if that wasn’t enough, her brother’s light was always somehow there to guide her through the shadows. Being here without him was disturbing enough but once their duty was done, they would get the hell out of that place and drive to Lannisport to have a nice evening.   
  
Just before Melessa Tarly’s eulogy was about to begin, there was some restlessness within the crowd. Elia noticed Mace Tyrell trying to move forward after being thrust by his mother. The Tyrells were trying to regain some of the spotlight, especially now that Randyll Tarly was gone. However they hadn’t taken Sandor Clegane into consideration. Acting on Seaworth’s behalf on such occasions, the big man stepped forward immediately and stopped Mace Tyrell and the rest of his family from advancing. This disgrace of a family was still about power plays, even at a funeral service. None of the Tyrells particularly had any balls to come face to face with Clegane and at that point Jaime interfered with all that.  
  
“ _You’re at a funeral for fuck’s sake. Pay your respects first, then try and see if there’s anything up for grabs.”  
  
_ Clegane just turned to him and smirked and physically pushed Willas Tyrell back. The big man had barely put any effort into poking the Tyrell heir but he was already getting ready to open his mouth and make a scene by complaining. Luckily Clegane was prepared for acts like these and stopped him in his tracks.  
  
“ _Open that cunt mouth of yours and I’ll shove all the candles you can find in this damn mansion down your throat, till you start shitting yourself.”  
  
_ She wanted to burst out with laughter but it would have been so inappropriate that she had to bite her fist. When she looked at Dany, she was doing the same, while Jon was just trying to avoid everything. Jaime had the stupidest of smirks on his face and clearly was enjoying this failure of an attempt. While all this was happening, Melessa Tarly, supported by three of her children, made her way to the stage to start speaking. Sam looked fine enough and Dickon was definitely trying to keep a brave face, while Talla looked completely devastated. She wasn’t truly ready to be in public but everyone had to do their duty, especially in times like these.  
  
Melessa’s speech was followed by Sam’s and later on first Jon Arryn and eventually the presidential candidate Davos Seaworth gave little speeches, sharing the family’s burden, saying their prayers and wishing well to them. That part of the service was very beautifully handled and was rather emotional. That reminded Elia why she didn’t like funerals at the first place. Too much sadness packed into so little time was always the recipe for mess. Luckily this was done and through and it was their cue to leave. Slowly, they made their way towards the end of the hall, where the remaining members of the Tarly family were located. They would give Sam a hug, shake hands with the rest of the family, pay their respects once more and leave. It actually started that way with Dany and Elia going first, taking their time with Talla, telling her that they are there for her and so on. Once it came to Jon and Jaime, things slowed down as they did want to comfort Sam a little bit more, since they were close friends. What surprised Elia wasn’t Sam’s behavior. Dickon and Talla were more distant naturally, because they didn’t know them all that well. However Melessa Tarly stopped them and gave each one a big hug. The old woman’s eyes were filled with tears and Elia witnessed something very unusual at that point. Coming from a happy and a very solid family, there never was any infighting between her and her family. Jon was on very good terms with his parents and the relationship between Jaime and his mother was very solid. She didn’t know much about Dany and her family but thinking that she had left the family business and there were no problems, it had to be okay somehow. Then Melessa started talking.  
  
“ _I want to thank you both. You pulled my son from this swamp of evil men and actually gave him the chance to do what he had always wanted to do. You gave him life, life away from all these vultures and that breathed life into our family. Everyone knew what kind of man Randyll was and they never said anything about it anyway. Once Sam became his own man, everything changed for the better. So I want to thank you both for giving this family some peace while it was still complete.”  
  
_ Neither Jaime, nor Jon weren’t the type who displayed emotion in public during such events but one could clearly see that that little speech had caught both of them unaware. They held the old woman’s hands and told her that they were both there for her and were at her service if necessary. Jaime had told her that the company would continue now like before and the collective idea could be brought to life soon after the elections. Randyll Tarly’s death hadn’t changed anything for them politically, but they would need to defend Dickon and Talla from the vultures, that much she knew.  
  
***  
  
After the funeral, everything had happened so fast and they had found themselves back in King’s Landing again. Thursday’s rally, followed by a nice day at Harrenhal with Tormund and Val, the night in God’s Eye and finally visiting Dany’s sister at Summerhall felt like they happened in the same day. It was a Saturday evening; they were home and tired from all the travelling but rather happy. He was lazily lying on the couch with a glass of scotch in hand and absolutely doing nothing. Dany on the other hand was in a conversation with Missy, updating her about the events that had transpired. She hadn’t been able to attend their weekly meetings for two weeks in a row now and all he could do was to encourage her to not to skip at that point.   
  
That was the summary of the remaining weeks of the campaign. Jon would leave for work around 9 in the morning; Dany would drop by for lunch, often with Elia, then the girls would leave for whatever business they had outside, leaving Jaime and him with the pile of work they had to deal with for the day. The best part was that going home was a big comfort. Lots of sleepless nights, long days at works, continuously looking at screens and being on the phone had worn Jon out. All he wanted was to be done with this shitstorm and never give a shit about anything for a long, long time.  
  
Dany had been an absolute darling throughout the month. She was caring, always prepared and alert, rushing to Jon’s needs if necessary. Jon felt spoilt and had warned Dany a couple of times that he could get used to that very easily and it wasn’t nice. Still she hadn’t backed down and kept her routine. She had explained to him that now she had the time in her hands, she would put it to good use so they could get through this time together, without him suffering another burnout. He was amazed about how sensitive she had become towards him, always taking care of his needs and being there for him. He had suggested finding some freelance gigs for her but she had waived him off, telling him that they would have all the time in the world to do all that once the elections were done.  
  
It had been a blur for all of them but finally the Election Day had arrived. They would wake up early enough to go and vote, come home, have lunch and a glass of wine and then head to the campaign center to follow the results. All of their friends were going to meet them at the center, for a celebration would be on the cards for later on. The worst case scenario was that Davos wouldn’t be able to score the 50% needed and there would be a second round, but almost all the polls had him take at least 55% of the votes. The voter turnout was expected to be really high and that would really put Davos in a favorable position. When they went to their voting place, Jon saw a crowd that he hadn’t seen in the previous elections and people usually started showing up in the afternoon, especially after having a big breakfast on Sunday mornings but today was definitely different.  
  
After voting, they quickly left for home and tried to stay away from the chaos as much as they could. The results would start coming around 7 or 8 in the evening, therefore there was lots of time to relax before everything would start once more for the final time. They decided to make comfort food at home, which was one of their favorite things to do on days off. They had prepared pork cutlets, chicken tenders and onion rings, not to mention some bacon and sausages, a few mozzarella sticks for Jon only since Dany didn’t eat any and tons of fries to go along with those. They wanted to eat until their faces caved in because both of them had this tradition even before meeting each other. All that food had made them super lazy as they just enjoyed the comfortable silence for a while. Jon hoped that after today, they would have lots of comfortable silence for both of them for a while.   
  
After a glass of wine and a quick nap, they headed towards the campaign center around 5 pm, before the roads got too crowded. They knew people would anxiously wait for what was going to take place and it would get quite messy in King’s Landing under such circumstances. When they arrived, Jon noticed that the spirits were high in the campaign center and everybody was in a good mood. Dany had told him that with the party, the youth board and the volunteers, people were very often extremely cheerful and always kept a good spirit so he knew that this didn’t mean anything. Still the high spirit from the crowd made him feel slightly better and hopeful about the result. Despite Davos entering the race as a favorite, this was Westeros they were talking about and anything would be considered normal in this land. It was going to be a long wait until the results start coming through but this wasn’t the first time for either of them.  
  
Jaime and Elia arrived shortly after they moved to the headquarters with the big dogs and after a while, Oberyn and Ellaria showed up too. Their other friends had gone home to vote and weren’t going to be around until tomorrow, but six people were already a crowd. Oberyn looked rather excited while Jon noticed that Ellaria looked a bit tired but still cheerful. He was doing his best to suppress his emotions at this point because it wasn’t only about the country moving forward, there were lots of personal stakes for almost all of them. Winning this now meant leaving all the mess behind, leaving the country in good hands and just being able to focus on the future they were building with Dany. This was all he wanted. All they wanted.  
  
Around 7.30 pm the first results started dropping and it was from the Riverlands, where Euron Greyjoy was the strongest. It was almost a sure thing that he would sweep the area and no wonder why the government/state backed sources had started with the results from the Riverlands. This was a strategy that Greyjoy and his people had used for a long time, causing the morale to go lower than necessary within the opposition, making people abandon their posts and conceding defeat. Election after election, the people from the opposition had learned to become cunning and smart. No longer had people cared about the results from the Riverlands as they didn’t mean much on their own. It was the other big cities and areas that would secure Davos the presidency. Soon after, it was the North and clearly the rally in Winterfell had been a success, as Davos swept the area with a huge margin. Westerlands were close but still had gone to Davos and the margin was getting smaller. Soon after the Dornish votes started flowing and by the time the votes from the Vale had started arriving, Davos had built a solid lead by five points. Meanwhile as the vote count from Harrenhal rose, the Riverlands also started turning around as it was the most populated city in the area and it had come to a tie. Stormlands didn’t disappoint either and by the time King’s Landing votes were still being counted, it was clear that Davos was the winner by a big margin of twenty-plus points. By the end of the night Davos was going to be the president elect with 62 percent of the votes but it looked like nobody cared at all. Everything had come full circle and people were celebrating wildly. They had done it. They had won.  
  
***   
  
It had come full circle.   
  
Almost one year ago, she had met Jon at this same place and now they had come such a long way together that she had a hard time believing it. The first seeds of change had been sown that day and boy those had grown beautifully. While everyone was going crazy, Dany enjoyed a glass of their favorite scotch. Jon was shaking hands with people, hugging some, blushing a little as people thanked and complimented him for the work he had put in this thing. The country was going to be in safer hands from now on, they both knew it and the time had come for them to finally get back to their lives.  
  
Instead of being in the area where people were cheering, drinking and celebrating, they were on stage with Davos. Not with him necessarily, but they were standing behind him. During his speech, he started first by thanking the people for deeming him worthy of the position, thanked his family, his mom who was eighty-five and still going strong and one by one it came down to his closest advisors, who had accompanied him through this long road. Jon Arryn naturally, was the first name mentioned. It went on with the Martell family, the Lannister family who both had been influential with the economical part of the campaign, the people of the North for their solid stance behind him and for believing in a southern politician for the first time in a long, long while. Then after the briefest of silences, Davos kept on.  
  
“ _Now I was introduced to a young man around six months ago by the late Randyll Tarly. Little did I know that this young man, his vision, his effort and his work ethic would affect me this much. Every time I felt a little tired or worn out from all this traveling, I saw him and his energy either when he was with me on the rallies, or felt it when I talked with him because he was here in his office, conducting the business so we stayed alive. I now consider him a parting gift from old Randyll, because none of us knew that it would take us this far.”  
  
_ The crowd was dead silent and apparently Davos had saved the best for the last.  
  
“ _Ladies and gentleman, before wrapping up my thanks part of the speech, I want to talk about this young man, who spearheaded this whole campaign. Sure he had his partner and a team of his own to help him on the way, but I cannot stress more about how much work and effort he put into this so we all got to realize our dreams. He is unlike any other person I’ve worked with, never cared for gaining power, never wanting it or asking for it. Throughout these six months he was hospitalized once early on due to a burnout but he came back only stronger. All this time, he asked me for ONE favor. Yes, just one favor and that wasn’t something political either. He asked me if he was able to bring his girlfriend to the rallies, because she had rage quit her job, like many of you dearly wanted to do, but have been afraid to do so, due to this economic situation the country is in. I couldn’t say no to that young man and I didn’t. I later found out that they met here in this arena, exactly a year ago, during the celebrations. Now I liked this young man the day we met and did not even doubt myself for a split second when it came to the decision to hire him, but as we worked together, hope grew in me because I noticed that there are so many bright young minds in this country and those minds will help us move forward from this mess we’re in and work together for a better tomorrow, a better future together. Here in front of all of you, I want to thank Mr. Jon Snow from the bottom of my heart, not just for managing this campaign, not for composing all that music you heard in the advertisements, in the backgrounds of the videos on the radio, the television and social media, some of the speeches he’s written for me and for not losing his composure even for a split second under all this stress, but for being kind and gentle towards everyone, for giving each and every one of us hope that we would be able to do this together. If someone truly deserves the praise, that would be him so please give it up for dear Jon, who managed to control all this noise we made and actually managed to make it sound beautiful!”  
  
_ While the crowd was going nuts, Dany noticed that she was crying after that beautiful speech. When she looked around, some people from Seaworth’s team also had tears in their eyes. Elia was openly weeping while Jaime was barely holding it together. Jon at that time was hugging the president elect in the middle of the stage. That was utterly mad, as only a day ago, you couldn’t even touch the president but Davos Seaworth had been the first to make contact with the people of Westeros. Things were changing for the better, now she was sure of it.  
  
Lots of alcohol had been consumed, lots of group pictures taken, some group pictures with the president elect were amongst those as well. The time for everybody to leave was approaching and only then she noticed how exhausted she was from all that stress and overflow of emotion in the last couple of hours. Then Jon, finally being able to make his way through the crowd of people between them was finally able to reach her and immediately grabbed her to plant a kiss on her lips. Finally their cue to leave had come and she couldn’t wait to get out of this place, because the cab ride was going to be shared this time and the destination was going to be _their_ apartment. After a few months of it, the thought still thrilled her and made her happy. After that brief kiss, she noticed that Jon had a few things to say.  
  
“ _Okay very quickly, we drop by the president elect’s room because not only he wants a private picture with us, but he also wants a quick chat before we get going.”  
  
“Wow, we get to have a picture with him? Awesome! Do you know what he wants to talk about?”  
  
“I have absolutely no idea but if we don’t go, we’ll never find out so, shall we?”  
  
“Yes, we shall.”  
  
_Once they got to his room, Dany noticed that Davos was just with his wife Marya. Dany had only seen her from afar, both at the funeral in Horn Hill and later at the rally in Casterly Rock. She smiled at them and welcomed them into the large area where the big sofas were located. The elder couple clearly had some things to talk with them so she patiently waited until the topic came up. Davos was clearly relieved of pressure and he looked sincerely happy.  
  
“ _Alright now, I know both of you are yearning to get home and probably take a long vacation now that this whole thing is over. Jon doesn’t work for me anymore so no need to be formal, forget that I’m the president elect and my wife is the first lady to be. We are just friends here and we will talk as friends.”  
  
_ They couldn’t do more than nodding to this statement. This was still against the way that they were brought up and both of them would try to maintain composure until the end, she knew it. Therefore after sharing a brief look, they silently agreed on letting the old man finish his statement and then see where it took them. Davos then turned to Jon and continued.  
  
“ _This whole thing was a huge success and after that formal presentation, people will come knocking on your door with job offers. Feel free to take whatever you wish out of those and build a name for yourselves. Both you and Jaime have deserved it. Meanwhile I have another proposal in hand so let me explain that to you. I’m quite sure you just want to go back to composing and live away from all this stress and well, your paycheck from this job sort of guarantees that you can easily freelance and maintain your riches, if you spend and invest wisely. Still, hear me out before you decide on what comes next. I would like you to lead my team of representatives for this term. Apart from the vice president, I want you to be my number two and handle things on my name, if needed. I’ve come to build a level of trust with you that I now know that you aren’t in this for money or the power. You did it because you wanted to and saw it as your duty. These two qualities make an excellent leader already and I have no better name in mind for this position.”  
  
_ The silence was long. Jon had immediately turned to her and there was a look of worry in his eyes. He clearly didn’t want to do this but he didn’t want the old man to be upset either. He had his trust and earned it the hard way, and he knew that this meant more than money or power. It felt like time had stopped but then Jon turned back to Davos and started talking.  
  
“ _This isn’t something I can answer without consulting Dany. We have some dreams we want to accomplish and I told you about some of those during those flights we took together. I’m flattered by the offer but I want to put Dany’s needs first at this time. We both wanted to take some solid time off and then get started with the plans. Still we’ll decide together with her and that might require some time actually.”  
  
_ Dany hadn’t expected this at all. She thought that Jon would stall the offer so that they could discuss this in private but now she felt like she had to say something. She held his hand and their fingers intertwined. Both Davos and Marya had smiles on their faces as they watched their reactions. Then they looked at each other and she thought it was clear from her eyes that she didn’t want this one bit. She hoped he felt the same at that point but his eyes weren’t clear one bit. She waved her head sideways to mean that she didn’t want this. At that point his eyes became warmer and he understood. He was probably again thinking three steps ahead and she was catching up. Then he planted a kiss to her forehead and turned to Davos.  
  
“ _As much as I’m flattered, I need to turn this down. I kinda understand why you think I possess the qualities to lead and I know that I could, but this is not what I want. This is not what WE want. Since the day we met, we both have been yearning for a quiet, stress-free life, away from all this corporate life, fancy business meetings and political power plays. All we want and need is some peace and quiet really. However, I think I know the man you need for this job. Much more qualified than I am and trust me, if he wasn’t bound by legal agreements because he’s serving the state, he would have been your go to guy and I would have just been doing the things I was meant to do.”  
  
“Shame to hear that you won’t take it, but I understand. Still, the door is always open for you and need I remind you that you still have favor to cash in with me? So always keep that in mind. And who do you think would be right for the job then?”  
  
“Oberyn Martell.”  
  
_***  
  
Jon had tried to explain it as well as he could and Davos seemed like he was leaning towards agreeing with him on the matter. Oberyn was more than qualified for this position, he was unhappy at the ministry, didn’t want to move to Myr for a few years and actually wanted to be more involved with the domestic politics. He wasn’t power hungry either and his sense of duty when it came to the matters of the state was incomparable to anyone else’s. Plus, if Oberyn were to take the position, then he wouldn’t have felt bad about saying no to Davos.   
  
“ _Very well, I’ll think about it. It has occurred to me that he has showed interest in leaving the ministry and is likely to join my team now the election is done. His father had mentioned something about this and surely he’s a capable young man, however you vouching for him, takes things to a different level. Anyway, enough with the business and time for some fun. Now I heard that you both like Mormont 25 and we all will have a glass for this wonderful time that we had, so cheers and may we all have a better future.”  
  
_ After the drinks and having pictures taken, they were finally on their way home. Jon was exhausted, worn out, tired in so many ways but happy. He was going home, to _their_ home and the time was right. Finally this was all over. Dany’s head was on his shoulder and they were comfortably riding home in a cab, finally rid of all formalities and all the pressure. In fifteen days the most, he was to receive his paycheck and afterwards he never would need to be a part of this circle again, unless he wanted to cash in his favor with Davos. Suddenly he was awakened from his thoughts when Dany pecked his cheek. She looked tired, relieved and happy. He turned to her and kissed her back. She was looking at him with warm eyes and then she started talking.  
  
“ _Where did the idea come to you from? I mean, it was so sudden and unexpected for me. You had told me that Oberyn was unhappy at the ministry and was considering resignation but this? That was sort of out of the blue… or was it?”  
  
“No love, this was rather planned. I only agreed to vouch for Oberyn for two things. One, because he actually would get the job done and two, we have dreams of our own and you don’t want either of us to get stuck in these circles ever again. Sorry for keeping it a secret but even Jaime and Elia didn’t know.”  
  
“Oh gods, you two kept it from his sister and her husband? You truly are the world’s best secret keeper. I mean really, I would have blabbed to you if I was trusted with something like this and you know how much of a private person I am.”  
  
“I know but I don’t think it’s wise to compare those things. I don’t like secrets, especially between us so I apologize once again for keeping this from you. It had to be done and it’s probably the last thing I’ll ever keep from you.”  
  
“What do you mean by probably?”  
  
“That means I can surprise you at some point by keeping some things from you but that’s not tonight’s conversation. Maybe some other time.”  
  
“You bastard! If I wasn’t in love with you, I would have kicked your ass here on the spot.”  
  
“I know, but I love you too and because of that I’m being honest. That’s why I’m saying probably.  
  
_She kissed him after that and they continued the ride home, through the crowds celebrating all around the city. It was a wonderful sight to see, because finally everything indeed had come full circle. Waking up to tomorrow was something he couldn’t wait for because it was going to feel great to finally taste freedom, once again.  
  
***  
  
Waking up to a new Westeros felt simply great. Jon was still sleeping deeply and Dany didn’t want to disturb him, even for sex at this point. He was worn out from months of pressure and despite not being a huge sleeper; he deserved to sleep a little more than usual today. She quietly moved out of the bed and started preparing coffee. She quickly went through twitter, check the reactions about Davos being elected and then looked at Jon’s instagram profile. The picture he posted last night with her and the Seaworths had thousands of likes and she had also gained tons of followers out of that. She knew the attention was cause to lots of stupidity as well but decided to leave her profile public, because she had decided that she was going to share her art form there as well. More followers would help her in spreading her work and maybe bring more job opportunities for her and the collective idea. That idea was something that she really needed to sit down and talk with Jon. Now that everything was over, they could start focusing on that and hold some meetings with Jaime and Sam as well. Clearing her thoughts, she continued browsing through the news and got stuck on the sports page. On that very Thursday, the Wolves were to travel to Harrenhal for the final season game. That game meant a lot, because winning would secure the 8th and final playoff seed for the Wolves, while Harrenhal had topped the league. A win would not only mean securing the playoffs, but it would also mean that there would be a best-of-five series between the two teams. Of course Harrenhal would host the first two games but they could get tickets no matter what. She made a mental note to ask Jon about this and if he was actually up for traveling to Harrenhal for the game this week. Just when she was getting lost in her thoughts, she heard his voice from the bedroom.  
  
“ _DANY! COME BACK TO BED, IT’S STILL EARLY.”  
  
_ She chuckled at that and actually made her way back into the bedroom. He was in bed completely naked and waiting for her to join him.  
  
“ _Oh you pervert. I didn’t think you would have the energy to get going in the morning after such a long night but, this is a pleasant surprise I have to admit.”  
  
“Just come back to bed, will you? I need you by my side.”  
  
_Without further due, she slipped back into the bed and kissed him. It was easy to get rid of her robe and feel his touch on her skin. They were again so hungry for each other that the feeling thrilled her every time. They ravished and devoured each other for a good hour, totally exhausting themselves during the process. Once they were done and her head was resting on his chest, he spoke.  
  
“ _This is how I want to spend the next few days. Just you and me, home, having sex, eating a lot, drinking a lot and if we go out, we go out to have fun. I don’t need anything more for a while.”  
  
“Actually I was thinking that maybe we could go to Harrenhal for the game on Thursday? It’s a very important game you know, I would like to be there and I’m sure you would too.”  
  
_There was a brief silence after she had said that. He looked like he was disappointed that she even suggested something like that. He couldn’t have been _that_ tired, she knew it. Then casually he reached for his phone from the nightstand and showed her the screen. There were two tickets for the game on their names, already bought and paid for. She was in a total shock after seeing that. During all that chaos, he hadn’t forgotten about this and already had taken care of it. She loved this man, loved him very much and loved him even more when he paid attention to little details like these. These little things made her so happy and he never missed those. She kissed him passionately and then muttered thanks to his ear. He was chuckling and caressing her hair at the same time.   
  
“ _You really didn’t think that I would disappoint you on your first request, on the first day of our new lives, right?”  
  
“Gods, you are a jerk. You had me fooled for a brief moment there but I love you so much that I can forgive you for this.”  
  
_They rolled in bed for a few more minutes after that and then hit the shower. After a long breakfast, which turned into a brunch, they sat down and skyped his parents. His mom was ecstatic that Davos won and immediately asked if they were visiting any time soon. Jon then told her that they had a few plans for these two months and traveling to Tarth could be an option too. It sounded practical to Dany, because if they were to travel to Valyria in late May, they could always stop at Tarth on their way back to King’s Landing. She hoped that those plans they made wouldn’t go to hell and they would actually get to realize their dreams.  
  
So they started by realizing the plans that they had before the election time. They spent more time together, were lazy together in their flat, wondered around, went to places, ate at some, drank at some, came back to their flat, made up for the sex that they couldn’t have during the last week of the campaign and all these things made Dany feel like she was in heaven. No work stress, no politicking, nothing corporate, no stupid people and only Jon. When she had said to him that she wanted to make up for the lost time from the beginning of their relationship, he had waived her off and told her that it was long gone and they needed to experience and enjoy the moments they had and were having. She knew he was right but still felt that slight guilt she carried with her from the past. He had argued that he didn’t want her to feel guilty all the time and they had gone through those times.  
  
“ _Per aspera ad astra, I said to you some time ago. Now the hardships are through and we are reaching for the stars, so just focus on the stars. Don’t get lost in that dust we just came out of. It doesn’t matter anymore.”  
  
_ Gods, he was always relieving in these things that she felt better than ever. She knew that together they could take on the world if they wanted to and soon they were going to. One by one everything they wanted since they met were happening and she was extremely happy with that. Their new life had started and in this one, she was surely going to get the best out of everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this chapter, majority of the plot points I had in mind before writing this story are now covered. From this point onwards, the remaining chapters will mainly focus on personal relationships and how our lovelies continue with their lives until the conclusion of the story. 
> 
> Since I started writing this story, it has truly been a rocky ride both story-wise and in personal life. Luckily enough, I've been able to fix the problems at work and my creative spirit is back on! Still with a hectic schedule on the horizon, I cannot promise regular updates but a promise is a promise, this story will reach its end surely.
> 
> I want to thank everyone who has read this story for taking the time. Also each comment and kudos given mean a lot to me. I sincerely hope that you all enjoyed reading this story up to this point and will continue to do so with the remaining chapters!


	24. A New Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The playoffs begin, plans are put into motion and Jon gets a little surprise!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again after another short break! This chapter was difficult to bring together, due to time constraints from work but here it is. 
> 
> Now this chapter contains some sports here and there so apologies if it gets boring with details in between. Feel free to skip those parts if you're not interested. I just needed those to fuel the emotions for the characters so they served some purpose at the very least.
> 
> I just wanted to post this chapter as quickly as possible and because of that I wasn't able to read through it twice like I used to so if there are any mistakes, please point them out and I will correct them!

She was on Jon’s shoulders and they had almost entered the court while celebrating.  
  
The Wolves had won the game and secured the playoff spot with a buzzer-beater. Within a crowd of fifteen thousand, there were maybe five hundred Wolves supporters and they had completely lost it after the game-winner. Sure, beating Harrenhal was always a joy, but at the same time, this win meant that the best-of-five series against Harrenhal was on. In two weeks they would be back here but this time they wouldn’t be alone at all. Almost all of their friends would join them for back to back games and then they would travel to Winterfell for game three and a possible game four.  
  
They had two weeks of free time in King’s Landing. The best thing about this extended time off was that none of them were dealing with any of the business inquiries at all. Jon was more alive than ever, he was making plans, spending lots of time with her and even came to help with taking her father to the doctor’s office for the appointment. He was devoting most of his time to her and was mainly away from work at the same time. Sam had returned from Horn Hill and they had decided to hire Lyanna Mormont for the remainder of the year. After seeing her drawing skills, Dany had come to the conclusion that she would be very useful within the collective and Jon had approved. Jon had then sent Gendry to Harrenhal because Arya was down there doing the main feasibility work with Val, for their brand new office. He was to accompany them and get to know people within the circles. Gendry had left without hesitation, not only for the opportunity of establishing new connections, but the perks of spending time and figuring their way out with Arya was difficult to resist.  
  
Meanwhile Jaime had taken sole responsibility of the King’s Landing office, telling them that now that they actually had one job to deal with and he wouldn’t have to divide himself into fifty pieces every day, he would gladly keep things at a slow pace. Still, the best of the news had come from Oberyn, as he had been hired by Davos to lead the team of representatives for the next four years. That meant no Myr, no unexpected travels and he would happily get married during the summer. Jon was to be the best man for the wedding so that meant something to both of them.  
  
All these thoughts accompanied her on the way back to King’s Landing. It was a short two hour train ride but all the adrenaline rush from the game had run out and she was dead tired. She then looked at Jon, who was sitting next to her with eyes closed and a small smile on his face. Surely he was satisfied both about the result of the game and the upcoming plans they had together. They hadn’t thought about anything related to work for almost a week now and it was showing with both of them. They were both stress-free, visibly relaxed, happy and more motivated to do things. Just before they had taken this trip to Harrenhal, she had found some sketches on Jon’s working desk but had kept quiet about it. He was definitely getting his creative spirit back and she loved him even more when that happened. Noticing that they were about to reach King’s Landing soon, Dany pecked his cheek so he would come back to the real world from that sweet dream state of his.  
  
“ _I take it that we’re getting closer?”  
  
“Yeah, maybe ten more minutes and then we’re back at KL. Do you feel like grabbing something on the way or wanna go home and cook?”  
  
“Näh I feel utterly lazy about preparing something. Shall we just hit a bar? A cold beer and some finger food could do the trick. I feel like fried chicken and tons of fries to go with it. What’d you say to that?”  
  
“Sounds like a plan. Starfall?”  
  
“Definitely Starfall.”  
  
_And to Starfall they went after reaching their destination. That little Dornish pub held a special place in Dany’s heart, mainly because they had their first date there and that place had become a casual meeting spot for both of them, especially during the campaign. They would meet there, grab a beer and then go home. With Jon, that had become a habit with her too. A glass of something in the evening always calmed her nerves and had definitely reduced her stress levels. When she had asked Jon where he’d got the idea, his reply was simple but surprising. He had told her that about maybe twenty years ago his mom was also suffering from high stress levels and panic attacks, thinking that she was having strokes and so on. Her doctor on the other hand had told her that she was fine and it was all due to stress. His advice was to drink a glass of something if his mother was enjoying alcoholic beverages. Lyanna Stark had gladly taken up the advice and the results were encouraging. Ever since hearing this story, Dany had put the same idea in motion and clearly it was helpful. Because back when she was working for the family company, she would stress herself too much, go home and then drink a bottle of wine and sometimes more, eventually leading to the point of numbness. Now that she could stop after the first or the second glass, she was feeling better about it too.  
  
After a few sips of beer, Jon looked more energetic and more like himself. He really was worn out from the game and the traveling, plus still the effects of the long and tiring campaign were still showing so Dany was trying her best to be easy on him. Still he was thoughtful, caring and always there for her. After a big gulp, he finally decided break the comfortable silence and talk about things.  
  
“ _So I wanted to discuss the accommodation. For the stay at Winterfell, we cannot escape Arya’s grasp, though she has a huge house, almost a mansion that she inherited from her family so we’ll be fine there. But I was thinking maybe in Harrenhal we could avoid staying together with the rest of the gang, yet not stay in a hotel either. Still, without asking you, I didn’t want to rent this house by the lake, so just take a look at the pictures and tell me what you think.”  
  
_ He had handed her the phone and she quickly browsed through the pictures. It was a small house with two rooms, near the woods and by the lake. It was almost a cabin like place but looked very cozy. She so wanted to say _fuck it_ to all plans they had and just go along with Jon’s idea, but on the other hand, this wasn’t a getaway and it was supposed to be a group activity. Taking a sip from her beer, she handed the phone back to Jon.  
  
“ _As much as I’ll be yearning for some private time with you, still I think we should stick to the original plan of staying with the others. Maybe not all of us get cramped up into Val’s flat sure, but still this is a group activity and we shouldn’t be acting alone. It would be rude to Jaime and Elia as well, so I’m not on board with this. Not this time anyway. You’re not mad or sad, right?”  
  
“No, not at all. I just wanted to have your opinion on the matter. Plus I agree that it would be rude, but then again our time was so limited back then, I always made plans to spend more time with you. Now that we have more time in our hands, maybe it’s wiser to use that time.”  
  
“That’s true. You’re still planning like we’re rushing everywhere. Luckily we don’t have to rush anywhere for a long while now. Let’s just enjoy this time we have, okay? Because I have a good feeling that Harrenhal and Winterfell aren’t going to be the only trips we’re taking.”  
  
_***  
  
Everything was happening all at once.  
  
With a simple yes, Arya’s workload had doubled instantly. She and Val were constantly checking places for the new office, at the same time she was keeping Gendry in check, pushing him in the right direction for what Jon had asked workwise, all the while trying to run her business from afar. Sure it was nice and cozy and relaxed in Winterfell, but Harrenhal was chaotic. Crashing at Val’s was easing up some of her troubles due to consumption of liquor every night, however she was missing her own bed, her own house, not to mention the silent and peaceful environment of Winterfell.  
  
Jon hadn’t wasted any time with putting things in motion and immediately after the campaign had ended and they were paid, he had pressed the button for the collective idea. Jaime was certainly the driving force here due to his connections, while Jon was taking this deserved time off with Dany. Arya’s heart went out to her friend, as he had been through hell and back to get where he was. It was a rough ride, a very tough one which had left its scars on Jon, but he had survived. When she thought of it, they all had. The country was finally moving forward and they had to keep the pace.  
  
Soon they were all going to get their break though. Jon and Jaime had planned it all and everybody was to meet at Harrenhal for the playoffs. Back in the day, Arya used to be a die-hard fan of the Winterfell Wolves, holding season tickets both in football and basketball. Her time in Braavos had been hell for that, because she hadn’t got to see the team for years. All that time she and Jon would stream the games illegally or watch them at some shithole pubs with the cheapest of ales. She barely knew the names of the players nowadays, but still the whole thing had sentimental value to her and she was going to make sure that they would enjoy the series, especially with her hospitality in Winterfell. If the Wolves were to steal one game in Harrenhal, the series could be wrapped up in Winterfell, which would cause for huge celebrations. The longest of days were behind them and they were at Val’s little balcony, drinking beer as two couples. Tormund as usual was very loud and energetic, while Gendry looked rather worn-out from all those responsibilities that Jon had loaded him with. She knew in her heart that she was going to have a serious conversation about Gendry’s position and work location with Jon, but she so wanted to avoid it as long as possible. She had promised herself that she wouldn’t bring the subject up during the week-long series, although it was eating her up from the inside. She noticed that she needed to be a bit more social because she was in company of good friends and decided to not to get lost in her thoughts, only to notice that her phone was buzzing. It was Jon calling so she left the balcony and made her way into the room that she and Gendry slept, to not to be disturbed during the call.  
  
“ _Whatcha up to?”  
  
“Nothing special. Is Harrenhal ready for our arrival?”  
  
“Oh, I thought this would be a work call.”  
  
“Näh, not at this time of the day. It’s late for serious conversations if you ask me. Psyched for the upcoming game already, cannot think about anything related to work.”  
  
“Are you guys arriving separately or?”  
  
“Noo. We rented this bus-like vehicle for seven people max. so we all will be riding with that. Jaime thought that it would be easier.”  
  
“He definitely thought right. Hey listen, there’s something in my mind which really bugs me but the voice inside me tells me to wait a little more to bring the subject to you.”  
  
“I would listen to that voice if I were you, but have no worries; we’ll arrange it so that you and Gendry will be in the same offices at the same time for most of the workdays.”  
  
“How is it so that you are able to read my mind like this?”  
  
“Need I remind you that we lived together for two and a half years?”  
  
“Point taken. How’s Dany doing, everything all good?”  
  
“Well, she’s more psyched than I am and you know how psyched I can get, so I’ll leave it to your imagination.”  
  
“Oh shit, sounds like trouble. By the way you should know that the courtside seats are reserved for the ten of us in the Wolves Arena, courtesy of Stark Animation.”  
  
“AH, excellent news! I just hope that none of us get thrown out you know? Seriously we don’t know how to behave during the games but I simply cannot say no to courtside seats.”  
  
“I knew it! Does that count as my buy in?”  
  
“Absolutely no and again, it’s too late to converse about work so I’ll leave it at that. Greetings to everyone around and see you tomorrow!”  
  
“See you Jon! Safe travels!”  
  
_***  
  
He was so psyched that he couldn’t believe himself.  
  
The last time he was this pumped up about sports was four years ago, when he had traveled to Winterfell for the playoffs. Back then he didn’t know Dany, Arya was almost a hostage in the Twins and yet still their friendship had stayed strong. Their business with Jaime was barely crawling at that point and when he thought of it, Jon couldn’t believe how far they had come from those times. It felt like the world had changed and looking at his life now, it most definitely had changed for the better. These thoughts occupied his mind as they continued packing for the trip. He had convinced Jaime and Oberyn to spend a day at God’s Eye after the first two games and then head to Winterfell. Another larger bus-like vehicle was arranged for them for the trip from Harrenhal to Winterfell so it was going to be very convenient to travel altogether. This group of people knew each other for a long while now and managed to get along rather well. It made him really happy that Dany had blended in rather easily and his friends had made her feel welcome. That brought the question which had been brewing in his mind to surface. He had to ask that now to get a clear head about it.  
  
“ _There’s something in my mind and I need to ask you this. Do you get the feeling that we hang out with my friends all the time and almost never with yours?”  
  
“No, not really. Where did that come from?”  
  
“Dunno. It sometimes feels like that to me. I mean sure, you hang out with Elia quite a lot and I know that you’re in constant contact with Arya and Val too but still, I hope I’ve been fair with this circle of friends thing. I just didn’t want you to feel like that I’ve pushed you into this.”  
  
“Oh Jon, you’re so sweet but still no, I like spending time with your friends. Plus I haven’t skipped any meetings with Missy and Irri either. I’m still in touch with my other friends whom I see on a regular basis, so no need to worry. Some of them will travel to Winterfell for the games too, but I haven’t made any plans with them and I told them that they are welcome to come and find us around.”  
  
“So you really don’t feel like taking your time and meeting some of those people?”  
  
“No Jon, we planned this trip together and I’d rather spend the majority of my time with you. You’re not pushing me or forcing me into things. I’m happily taking this trip with you and your circle of friends because they are fun and easygoing. Plus, they made me feel accepted immediately after things were okay between us. Even Arya is so nice to me that I sometimes cannot fathom that what I have done to deserve someone being so nice towards me.”  
  
“So in the end you don’t feel like I’m overbearing or overpowering anything with the social circles right? Because if I am, it would be a shame really, since I do like meeting some of your friends, spending time with Irri and Missy and so on.”  
  
“You really are a considerate boyfriend but for the last time, no, you are not bothering me with what we have. If you ask me one more time, maybe then I might be bothered though.”  
  
_With a wink, she had gone back to folding her clothes. Jon had been a man of balance throughout his life and now wasn’t the time to have doubts whatsoever. If everything went well, he had some plans in his head that needed to be brought to life, though some of them were either depending on the success of this trip, or would need revising and reconsidering later on. It was becoming harder and harder each day to keep this a secret but he had to, since the time wasn’t right yet. The perfect setting depended on a few other things as well and he really didn’t want to prepare a plan B, just in case the trip to Valyria was off the table. Surely they could head to Valyria without the tournament as well but still, he wanted everything to be perfect. Their lives were finally going right and the Wolves could put the icing on the cake by actually winning the whole damn thing. Afterwards he could put the finishing touch on their new life.  
  
Throughout the trip, this was all he could think about. He was social enough but wasn’t necessarily the loudest person in the vehicle. Oberyn truly was that guy, especially now he was finally free of the clutches of the ministry and working for the one person he truly respected. He wasn’t necessarily a hardcore fan of the Wolves like himself, Jaime or Dany, but a rather casual supporter. A few times he and Jaime had got into a drunken argument with him, because he was okay with the outcome, as long as a Westerosi team won the tournament. They on the other hand, despised any other team, which weren’t the Winterfell Wolves. Luckily Oberyn had complied and actually had bought some of the match day gear for the fans and that was more than enough to shut Jaime up about it. While he was silently watching them go on and on about which bar to hit at Harrenhal post-match, Dany pecked him in the cheek and got his attention.  
  
“ _You are unusually quiet. Everything is okay, right?”  
  
“Yep. No problems whatsoever, just saving my energy for all the drinking and chanting for the upcoming few days. Did I look upset?”  
  
“No, not really… Just a little more quiet than usual. When you are this quiet, usually something is brewing in your mind but you often aren’t ready to share so I won’t press it. If you say all is well, I’ll trust you.”  
  
“Trust me, all is well and I sincerely hope it will be much better in a few days.”  
  
_***  
  
Something was definitely brewing inside his mind and she knew it.  
  
Still the fact that he wasn’t talking meant that he hadn’t completely made up his mind about what was to come. The only thing that bugged Dany was that it could have been anything. Since they started living together, he had avoided making rash decisions and almost always consulted her about the matters which concerned the both of them. Even when he asked her opinion, his mind would be made up most of the time, although she had managed to ease up his approach to the situations, especially in personal relations. Businesswise, she chose to not to interfere in any of his decisions, although from that point onwards, things were going to be different because they had pushed the button on the collective idea. His mother had advised her to not to press matters with him and she knew that she wasn’t going to ask anything about his state of mind until the end of the trip. For all she knew, this could have been related to the sketches she found on his working desk or maybe it was simply the stress about the games. She knew that he could get super passionate about the games, even more so than she did because she had experienced it firsthand before. While these thoughts were clashing in her head, she noticed his hand sliding by her waist and squeezing her butt. She immediately turned towards him and their lips met. She wasn’t maybe very fond of public displays of affection but this was something she couldn’t have escaped, because he had set her up.  
  
 _“Who’s being silent now?”  
  
“This isn’t fair. You shouldn’t get me turned on in public like this. It’s really unfair.”  
  
“Well, you looked like you were lost in your thoughts so I figured this was necessary to bring you back to world.”  
  
“You can be a real jerk sometimes, now all I will be able to think about will be in how many ways we will do it once we get to the flat.”  
  
“I guess that means mission accomplished.”  
  
_He was chuckling and peppering her with kisses. Their friends were laughing at the scene and since they were traveling as couples, everything was considered to be okay. Suddenly she found herself laughing too. She was caught unaware and there was nothing she could do. She finally kissed him back to awws from their friends and the mood in the vehicle had lightened visibly.  
  
The rest of their ride wasn’t particularly eventful. Once they had reached their flats however, everyone was rather relieved to have some private time, because it wouldn’t be long before Tormund, with all the enthusiasm in the world, would come and turned their world upside down with too much alcohol. When they were alone, she had noticed that Jon’s mood had lightened and he wasn’t brooding heavily anymore. It felt great to be alone with him, even after a three hour drive with company, and she knew the perfect way to spend their alone time. It wasn’t about sex or his teasing on the way; it was about just being with him and only him. Luckily he was hungry as always and not at all shy about showing his love to her.  
  
Their plan was simple. The fancy dinner tonight with everyone, some drinks, then big game day breakfast altogether, followed by afternoon beers, some wondering around the arena, maybe running into friends etc. then it would be game o’clock. This was most certainly going to be a good trip and Dany had a good feeling about the outcome of the series. The Wolves had made it to their sixth straight playoff, all the five playoffs before resulting in series wins for them and they had never lost a first game of the series, since legendary coach Mance Rayder had taken over seven years ago. All of their friends were insanely tense and psyched until the second drinks during the dinner; especially the guys couldn’t talk about anything else but the recent series that the Wolves had played. Dany had turned out to be the most knowledgeable amongst the women and she had contributed to the guys’ talk every now and then, being very careful not to isolate the rest of the girls or herself from them. It was a lovely time, away from work, away from stress, being together with the people she liked, in a different environment and especially the love of her life by her side, things couldn’t go wrong that much.  
  
***  
  
The atmosphere was insane.  
  
He hated this arena with all his guts, but Jaime had to give it to the bastards, they knew how to put on a show. He felt tense and when he looked at his friends, the feeling became more powerful. Even Oberyn, who was maybe the most casual fan, was biting his nails out of stress. The game had started at a frantic pace and the Wolves were doing alright in the first quarter. However in the second quarter, Harrenhal had tightened their defense and started hitting some big shots to jump into a double digit lead. The morale was down within their group and he wasn’t feeling all too well either. During the half, Jon hadn’t uttered a single word and looked completely frozen but he was too stressed to question his friend’s condition. In any case Jon had acted like this under heavy stress before, however when watching sports live in a stadium or a hall, his inner monster would be unleashed. When he saw Dany dragging him outside, he knew he could feel relieved about that situation.  
  
When he focused his attention to his other friends, he saw Arya puffing like an industrial factory, while Gendry wasn’t any different. He hadn’t had a cigarette in years, having quit early into their relationship with Elia, he had never felt the need up to this day. Something in him was pushing him towards the cigarette and then surprisingly he saw Elia bumming a smoke from Arya. She had never smoked in her life but looked considerably stressed and had decided to smoke her first now. She then walked towards him and pulled him towards the point where smoking was allowed.  
  
“ _This will be my first and only smoke and your last. We will share this now to turn the game around. Are you with me?”  
  
_ He could only nod. Elia always had been strong willed, then again maybe wasn’t necessarily the best decision maker under stress. Still, she was a keen observer and figured out what was going on in his head. After two failed attempts at lighting the cigarette, she finally passed it to him to get started. They laughed at her coughing because of the inexperience and by the half of it, Jaime noticed that he hadn’t missed smoking one bit, during those years he quit. This was indeed his last cigarette for sure, because this was their new life and surely they weren’t going to start this with a loss. With the corner of his eye, he noticed Jon and Dany passing by them to get back to their seats. Jon’s face had more color for sure and Dany was holding onto him real tight. Something was definitely going on with them but surely it wasn’t anything big or bad. He knew that couples like them always figured things out in the end and decided to let them be.  
  
***  
  
She had to hold him very tight for about ten minutes to bring him back to life.  
  
It was hard to believe that this was just stress about the game. He had frozen during the second quarter and hadn’t uttered a word afterwards. She knew she was the only person who could get to him with this and she really wasn’t in the mood for trying. Then again he was her other half, her partner, her boyfriend and gods she had started hoping that they would eventually tie the knot sooner or later. She had never considered herself to be the type that would get married and start a family. The idea of having kids still scared her, but being with Jon forever, that was truly what she wanted out of her personal life and she knew it.  
  
When they finally reached their seats, the third period had just started. That margin wasn’t going to close itself and she knew she had to at least hope that the Wolves would do something about it. During one of their deep conversations, Jon had told her that he didn’t want to believe but he rather wanted to know things. Hope was maybe related to that point of view and when she looked at the court, she noticed that she knew it in her heart that this game was going to turn around. Slowly but surely, Wolves initiated their comeback and by the beginning of the fourth quarter, they had retaken the lead. Jon had come alive big time with the lead changing dunk and the rest was history. Play after play, this time the margin started growing on their behalf and it had all ended with a double digit win for the Wolves. The silence in the arena was deafening, but the thousand Wolves supporters in the crowd were roaring with joy. Within two weeks’ time, this was the second blow that they had delivered to their opponents and for Dany the first one symbolized the end of one reign, while this one truly meant that a new era had dawned.  
  
The time spent until the next game was a total blur. They had gone completely nuts after that big comeback win and celebrated wildly in a pub crawl. The win had completely changed their mood but the best thing about it was that Jon had come back to being himself. He was making jokes, he was loud, totally having fun and not holding back on his liquor. She hadn’t seen him this drunk ever but he was in such a good mood that she didn’t want to interfere. When they had come back to the flat they were staying, he had just held her and buried his face to her neck, breathing her in. She had never doubted his love even once until that moment but this had felt so new and refreshing that she couldn’t help but fall in love with him even more after that moment.  
  
***  
  
He had never been this stressed.  
  
Jon had always been the type of man who wouldn’t take big risks when it came to big moves. He would always bide his time, plan every move carefully, clear the way for his plan to work and finally execute things in cold-blooded fashion so that he knew in the end that there were no room for surprises. This, however, could have been a mistake. Now his plans actually depended on a basketball team winning a best-of-five series.  
  
What a stupid fucking moron.  
  
He was continuously cursing himself since the moment that the first game had started. He was aware that all the color had left his face when the Wolves were trailing during the second quarter and Dany had put a lot of effort to bring him back into the land of the living. Seriously how stupid was this to base a plan on a basketball team out of form? In his normal life, he wouldn’t depend on absolutely anyone else to execute things for him and he would always take care of business himself, when he wanted things done.  
  
This was a mistake. A screw up, a faulty move, a stupid move.  
  
This was supposed to be a wonderful and fun vacation with the love of his life and his best friends and now all he could do was to stress about the results of the games. Luckily the first game had been won and the Wolves had taken the home-court advantage. He really wanted this to be done by game 3 and never stress about anything else, until their trip to Valyria. He had even forgotten that his birthday was on the day of game three and maybe even his friends had planned some surprise for him, for around that time they were going to be in Winterfell. It had only just come to him that throughout these thirty two years, nobody had ever surprised him on his birthday. “ _This could very well be the first time ever.”_ he thought to himself and smiled. The second game was about to begin and the environment around them was way more different than the first game. Before the first game, Harrenhal supporters were aggressive, chanting continuously, singing songs and marches, even taking jabs at the Wolves supporters. Today, there were none of those. The bars were rather empty compared to two days ago, the crowd around the arena looked worn out, tired or fatigued even and their faces looked like the series had been lost already. Jon knew in his heart that this wouldn’t be the case once the teams stepped onto the court but tried to keep his composure.  
  
The second game had a completely different story. Both teams were more cautious, more prepared for each other and certainly that cunt Joffrey Baratheon was better prepared and less arrogant this time. Jon could see the look of stress and fear on his face from where he was sitting. The majority of the supporters were rather quiet, reacting only to the baskets and not really doing anything to bring their team into the game but they rather looked like they needed the team to perform better to get into the game. The Wolves however were not backing down, they had an answer for every move that Harrenhal had and the game had stayed very close throughout the first three quarters. The final period was a complete blur for Jon, because the stress had become too much to handle. When he was able to look at his friends, all of them were actually in a very similar mood. None of them could move, chant or react to any basket or any good defensive play from their team and he felt like he couldn’t hear anything. He felt isolated, worn out, very stressed and it almost reminded him of the time that he collapsed in front of the studio.  
  
 _Not today.  
  
_ It had ended with a five point win in their favor. It was now 0-2 in the series and games three and if necessary, four, would take place in Winterfell. He had asked Jaime to pinch him so that he could be sure that this was really happening. For all this time, during all the stress, all the campaign work, all that emotional stuff and personal complications, there were two stable things in the whole continent. One was Euron Greyjoy and the other was Harrenhal Bears demolishing their opponents. The first one was gone, soon to be taken into custody and brought to justice while the second one was falling apart in front of their eyes, truly marking the end of a government backed short reign for political assholes and ass-kissers. A new era was surely now beginning and he was loving every minute of it. When they had hit the bar after the game, first he had called his father for a quick celebration on the phone and then he noticed that he should make another call for personal reasons. He dialed the number, waited for it to ring and just when he was about to give up and put it away, it was picked up.  
  
“ _Hello son, what can I do for you?”  
  
“Hello Mr. President. I was wondering if you’d like to come to the Winterfell-Harrenhal game on_ _Monday. It’s also my birthday and it would mean A LOT if your schedule allowed you to show up.”  
  
“Good that you called to let me know and I was going to attend anyway. I heard that Ms. Stark had arranged the courtside seats for you?”  
  
“She had, yes. You would be seated in one of the skyboxes I presume?”  
  
“That’s true. Already taken care of actually. In that case, I will see you on Monday. Always a pleasure to hear from you and you should definitely call more often.”  
  
“I’ll do that sir, thank you and have a nice weekend.”  
  
_Just like that, things were going to get more interesting for sure. Then again he was sort of happy that the old man had planned this even without being asked by him for personal reasons. That meant Oberyn was handling his job very well, just like he presumed. He was glad that he never really had to care about these things anymore and now he could pretty much focus on everything personal in front of him. There had been no talks of work throughout the trip and it was going to stay that way. Now all he had to do was to _actually_ have a happy birthday.  
  
***  
  
Time was ticking out.  
  
Now that the series could be wrapped up with game three, Dany was really short on time. They had discussed it with Arya to surprise Jon on the night of the third game, since it coincided with his birthday, but now that the series could be wrapped up on that very night, they had to rush things. Jon was a huge fan of Coach Mance Rayder and could go to extraordinary lengths to actually be able to sit down and have a drink with him. Still the coach being too occupied with the team, he never really had the chance to even meet the man.  
  
The surname Stark meant quite a lot in Winterfell. That meant Arya could pull some strings to actually make this happen. Still, they needed a distraction for Jon to be occupied so she and Arya could actually get things going. The best help definitely would be Oberyn so they decided to take things to him.  
  
“ _So you need Jon distracted for about two hours. Sure I can do that but don’t you guys think that you might be a bit late with arranging this?”  
  
“Oh just what I needed to hear. You do know the surname Stark counts for something here in Winterfell, right? I just need to call in with a couple of sponsors so Jon can finally meet the coach.”  
  
“Well, the sponsors would get you so far but maybe you could ask the president himself?”  
  
“WHAT?”  
  
“You heard me; Davos is coming to see the game tomorrow. I know for a fact that he and Jon had already talked on the phone last night and he’s aware that the president is attending.”  
  
_Dany couldn’t believe her ears. Sure, Jon was close with the president and the old man insisted that they both called him often so that he always knew what was going on with their lives but surely this was a bit out of context. Then again this played to their advantage so now they had two options to get this thing done. This would mean the world to Jon and she so wanted him to be happy on his birthday. A win to sweep the series and later arranging this meeting and wham! This would do just fine. She knew that she needed to be the one to ask Oberyn so she cleared her throat and got right to the subject.  
  
“ _So would you actually mind whispering this plan to the president or?”  
  
“Already on it. The old man’s gonna love this, trust me. I knew you two would be onto something so I was prepared. Jaime is already making preparations too so don’t worry, this will be a team effort.”  
  
_That was a relief. Now that they didn’t need to do everything together with only Arya, Dany was more relieved and more focused. Hell even she could prove to be the distraction for Jon so that everything else would happen without him noticing what was going on. This would turn out just fine and she would see the love of her life at his happiest.  
  
***  
  
 _“There is no way we are getting shitfaced before game three. No, definitely that’s not happening bros. Trust me with this, we want to save ourselves for the big celebration afterwards.”  
  
_ These sentences were hard to believe and very difficult to execute, even for a casual fan. When those came from Tormund, it was even more difficult to believe. Still, Jon thought that Giantsbane had a point there. Sweeping the series against Harrenhal meant that the whole North would be shitfaced for at least two days. Arya had even told him that not only with Stark Animation, but the whole Stark Enterprises would give their workers the day off, once the series were wrapped up. That’s how serious the North took things when it came to winning this damn series. Maybe it was his Northern pride after all, that had caused him to base a plan on the team winning this series. Although he still thought it was fucking stupid, then again he wasn’t very far away from accomplishing it. The places in Valyria were booked, the press-passes for the introductory ceremony were acquired, tickets for both games were bought, they were already placed on the guest list for the awards ceremony and finally, the reservation for the restaurant that they would have the very special dinner on Saturday night was made. All he needed to confirm everything was one more win. Forty fucking minutes and he’d be done with it.  
  
It felt like not a single soul in Winterfell was resting that night. The arena was sold-out, 19,000 strong had taken their places and were ready for action. Jon hadn’t ever witnessed a game from the courtside seats so this was a first time for him. The whole place was jumping up and down with chants, songs, and people continuously taking jabs at Joffrey Baratheon, who was the object of hate there. Then it was announced that the president Davos Seaworth had arrived and would be watching the game this evening. The crowd roared for the president, who was probably the only Southern politician ever loved in Winterfell. He was supporting the game day attire, the bright hoodie with the words “ _Winter is coming”_ on the front. Just when the noise of the crowd was about to die, the time came for the team instructions. You could barely hear the announcers voice over the boos for the Harrenhal players and soon after the same could be said due to the cheers, while the home team’s players were announced. When it came to Coach Mance Rayder, the cheers went sky high and Jon thought for a moment that the building could collapse on them. This was probably the most hostile environment he had ever been in and he had been in very hostile sports environments before. He found himself standing up and applauding the coach, who was one of his very few idols in life.  
  
The game had again started at a rather slow pace, with Harrenhal trying to tighten their defense compared to the first two games and try to hit Winterfell with fast-breaks. It had turned out to be successful for the better part of the first half, though by the end of the second quarter, the Wolves had managed to take a comfortable eight point lead. The third quarter however, was a completely different story. Throughout the last few meetings, Harrenhal had most of the time blasted them and jumped to a double digit lead to comfortably cruise for the rest of the game. This time however, the story was different. Fifteen unanswered points in the third quarter had sealed the deal and it had turned out to be a blowout. It had happened and they were going to Valyria. Neither he, nor Dany had actually seen the final-four where it was hosted and he knew that this first time was going to be memorable.  
  
The courtside seats had a perk to it that you could just leave and come back at any time you wanted. Suddenly within all that crazed celebration, Jon had noticed Sandor Clegane was by their seats and smiling at them. Now this, was a good surprise, he had missed working side by side with Clegane, for he was the bluntest person ever on earth. He slowly approached him and engulfed him in a bone-crushing hug.  
  
“ _WELL SNOW, LOOK WHAT YOUR GUYS HAVE DONE. NOW I’LL GET TO SEE VALYRIA BECAUSE OF THIS.”  
  
“What the hell, why you anyway? And good to see you Clegane, I’ve missed you!”  
  
“THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO TRAVEL TO VALYRIA FOR THE FINAL-FOUR, NOW THAT IT’S FOR SURE THAT A WESTEROSI TEAM WILL BE PLAYING. SPEAKING OF HIM, HE’S EXPECTING YOU. WE ARE TO HEAD FOR THE LOCKER ROOM.”  
  
“What? WAIT WHAT? WHY THE LOCKER ROOM?”  
  
“YOU’LL SEE WHEN WE GET THERE. NOW FOLLOW ME. YOUR FRIENDS KNOW THAT WE’LL BE HEADING THERE AND THEY WILL BE ESCORTED THERE SOON AFTER.”  
  
_A few minutes later, they were by the locker room. The president himself was there, congratulating the players one by one. The morale in the room was sky high for sure, applauding and celebrating with the president. Everyone had thought that this team was washed up, wasn’t going to be able to make it even to the playoffs this year but now the final-four was on the horizon. After the cheers died down, Coach Rayder stepped into the middle of the room and uttered a simple sentence.  
  
“ _Tomorrow is off, go and celebrate. We return to training on Wednesday.”  
  
_ The response to that was wild, since the players probably hadn’t had a day off in weeks so it was obvious that everyone was going to enjoy this free time. The coach then had stepped away from the middle with the president and was standing right in front of him. He felt paralyzed and all he could do was to stare at the man with awe. Since his teenage days, Jon had watched the man win consistently with awe. He was a true professional, a fine example of how to build a career and life, plus he always managed to accept defeat with grace. He was barely able to hear that Davos was introducing them to each other so he extended his hand. After that brief handshake, he was finally able to form sentences.  
  
“ _It’s an honor coach. I can say that I’ve been a lifelong fan and congratulations on this wonderful series. You probably know how much it means to all these people here but it sure does mean a lot to me personally.”  
  
_ Coach Rayder had looked at him with warm eyes and just nodded. He looked like he was really picking his words carefully with his response. Once he started talking, Jon realized that this was probably the most honored he felt, after the president’s speech on the night he got elected.  
  
“ _No actually, the honor is mine. The thing is, we’ve been using your music as a motivational tool, before and after practice. During the halftime of the first game, we just talked for maybe three minutes about what to do and then we listened a few things from your collection of epic trailers. You probably know what happened next.”  
  
“Oh this is such an honor really. I cannot believe that my work made such a difference. I mean of course it’s nothing next to the preparations you make for the games but I’m so glad that even as a motivational tool it was useful. Thank you coach, it really does mean a lot when you say it.”  
  
“And I mean it. Yes preparations are always made in advance and you know that but what we were lacking was concentration, motivation and passion. You clearly are passionate about your work and it shows. It worked wonders on the players and I’m really thankful for that.”  
  
“I’m only following your words. You had once said in an interview that as long as you are enjoying what you do and your passion is there, you’ll keep doing it and you’ll try to do better the very next day. I’m just trying to heed that advice and do my job like that.”  
  
“That is wonderful to hear. I would love to stay and chat about life with you but I must rush for the press conference now. Maybe we see each other again for drinks with the president later tonight?”  
  
“I’d be honored.”  
  
_He was really having a hard time believing at what had just happened. When he turned to Davos, he was smiling at him. He didn’t know what to say or how to thank the man at all, because that probably was the biggest surprise for him ever. Then Davos started leading him back to the hall and away from the cameras. Only then he gathered his courage to ask him what was this all about.  
  
“ _Sir really, where did this come from? Did you have this planned all by yourself or?”  
  
“No Jon, of course not. As the president, my duties are overwhelming enough but surely I had the time to catch a game and it was my duty to visit and congratulate them for the victory, now that they will be representing us internationally. Still, one more thing I need to ask from you. Oberyn told me that you were insanely stressed during the series and it was way more different than your calm and quiet behavior during the campaign. Is there something wrong or are you cooking up something?”  
  
“I mean to propose to Dany in Valyria, sir. We will take the trip for the final-four but I haven’t told anyone yet. You are the first one to learn.”  
  
“I’m sure it will turn out alright. Now your friends were behind this surprise birthday gift, precisely Dany had this idea, while Arya and Oberyn worked with her to arrange this through me. Your friend Jaime meanwhile has arranged it so that your post-match party is in the hotel that I’ll be staying. Coach Rayder will be there too after some point, so I will see you guys for surely later on. Enough with me now, your friends have arrived so join them and have your fun.”  
  
_With that, Davos was gone. Jon was having a really hard time believing this set-up was actually happening. His girlfriend and his dearest friends had worked together with the president to actually arrange that he met his lifetime hero, the Wolves had made it to the final-four, the trip to Valyria was happening and now the plans for the proposal were set in motion. This truly was the best birthday ever. While he was trying to digest all these at the same time, he saw his friends approaching with Clegane. Now, all was well.  
  
***  
  
“ _SURPRISE!”  
  
_ The happiness on his face was priceless. Dany hadn’t seen him this happy in a long, long while. Sure, after the elections he was happy but this was something else. She immediately ran to hug him and buried her face to his neck. He was muttering how much he loved her to her ear, while holding her. Then the high-fives and hugs began as they all started wishing him a happy birthday. Nobody had said a single word throughout the day and it had been really difficult to hold inside. Tormund had questioned the motives, and then had said that maybe they should only get Jon drunk for the better part of the day so that he wouldn’t be aware of what was going around. Still, they had pulled it off with a combined effort of distractions and it surely was worth the effort.  
  
A barbecue was awaiting them at the Stark Mansion, where they were staying. Dany had found the place to be exquisite and really artistic, not to mention that it was preserved better than many old artifacts around the continent. Most of those mansions and castles were gone now but this one had stayed. _The Original Winterfell,_ Arya had called it and one could easily say that she was right. There was a large courtyard, still carrying the memory of Arya’s parents and then Arya led them to the gardens, where the barbecue would be held. Jon and Val were no strangers to this place; Jaime had been here once, Gendry had stayed here during the campaign, while for the rest of them, it was a new experience. Drinks started flowing, various types of meat came by and they ate like wild animals, not stopping until their faces caved in. Soon after, the toasts had started for Jon and for the Wolves, all of which made her extremely happy. Their time to move for the hotel was nearing, so Jon came to her and started leading her somewhere deeper into the area.  
  
It probably was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. There was a huge heart tree, with a small pool right at its feet. All colors of little trees and flowers were there and it was unusually quiet that it felt magical. While she was watching this marvelous sight in front of her with awe, Jon quietly held her from behind and planted a kiss to her neck. When she turned towards him, their lips connected.  
  
 _“I wanted to thank you properly for that surprise celebration. Davos told me that it was you behind the original idea, so thank you.”  
  
“It’s not a big deal and I actually enjoyed every minute of it. I knew that you are a big fan of the coach and Arya said that she could help set up a meeting. Then Oberyn told us that he could simply ask the president to do that, since you know, it would be difficult to say no to.”  
  
“It was awesome. Truly awesome that I cannot describe it with just words, so I have something for you actually.”  
  
“What? What now? I mean how can you handle stuff like that within all that chaos seriously?”  
  
_He simply took out his phone and pointed the screen towards her. On the screen, there were two plane tickets to Valyria, two tickets for the final-four and a confirmed hotel reservation. She couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw that. Sure they had talked about this as a possibility back in the day but she somehow thought that it wouldn’t become a reality and didn’t keep her hopes high about it. He however, hadn’t forgotten and actually had acted on it.  
  
“ _OH MY GOD, DID YOU JUST DO ALL OF THESE TODAY? WHEN? HOW? I MEAN SERIOUSLY, HOW CAN YOU KEEP SURPRISING ME LIKE THIS?”  
  
_ He was just smiling at her like an idiot. Her idiot, to be specific and he looked clearly amused with the situation. He then held her and planted a kiss to her forehead.  
  
“ _The moment we made it to the playoffs, I bought the tickets for the final-four, made reservations for the hotel and the flight. All I had to do was to confirm them today. This isn’t just it though. We have press-passes for the introductory ceremony and are on the guest list for the awards ceremony. Still, that’s not all though. We will be dining after the ceremony at the very special Old Valyria.”  
  
“Jon…”  
  
“Just say yes. We don’t have to be anywhere else and with anyone else. Just the two of us in Valyria, enjoying what we have dreamed of since the day we met.”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
_She knew that she was smiling like an idiot throughout the ride to the hotel. Once they had arrived, Dany noticed that it wasn’t just the president and the coach; there were some of the players, some of the staff, a few sports journalists, of course Sandor Clegane and finally them. They weren’t dressed for the occasion but then again, nobody was. Even the president was still in the match day attire he supported during the game and the coach had changed into a more comfortable combination of jeans and a loose shirt. When she looked around further, she noticed that people were having fun and they were happy. The right people, the people who deserved to be happy were actually happy. A new life had truly begun for them and for the country, for they were in dire need of it, merely a few weeks ago.  
  
Jon was with the president and Coach Rayder, involved in a very serious but surely entertaining conversation. All three men seemed to be enjoying the moment from the looks of it and she so wanted to be with him at that moment, sharing that experience together. Still, this was his birthday and he deserved it so much that she didn’t want to feel selfish about it. She then noticed Tormund doing shots with Sandor Clegane. Both brutes were certainly enjoying the moment and Dany knew that this was possibly one of the very few nights that Clegane ever had the chance to take off. She then noticed Val approaching her with two shots and knew that getting drunk was now inevitable. Jon had told her that it didn’t matter if they were all shitfaced tonight, because it was deserved and nobody ever was going to complain about anything at all in Winterfell tonight.  
  
“ _You’re beaming but unusually quiet. Something you want to tell me maybe?”  
  
“Uhm, you probably knew about it before I learned it today?”  
  
“Knew about what? Something to do with Jon? He doesn’t tell me stuff that concerns you at all. Actually he doesn’t tell ANYONE about those. He is a very good secret-keeper after all, you know that.”  
  
“So you didn’t know that we had discussed about maybe going to Valyria, if the Wolves made it to the final-four?”  
  
“Ehm, I’m just learning about it now, but go on?”  
  
“He’s taking me to Valyria and he’s arranged EVERYTHING. The flights, the hotel, the events, the games and even a fancy dinner at Old Valyria.”  
  
“NO WAY. He really did that?”  
_  
 _“I saw the tickets and all. Everything is done and paid for already. I’ve never been this spoilt in my life. Ever.”  
  
“I’m sorry, HE IS TAKING YOU TO VALYRIA?”  
  
“Yes!”  
  
“You had told me that this has been your dream for ages and I’m really happy for you. Let me guess; this was mentioned just once between you and you almost forgot about it until today and he surprised you with it?”  
  
“It happened exactly like that. I don’t know how he does it, but he’s so fucking good at doing this.”  
  
“It’s his specialty. It’s funny that he’s probably the most open person with his loved ones but then again at the same time he’s so good at keeping things to himself that he can surprise you out of nowhere. I think there might be more to this trip.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“All I’m saying is that something huge is coming your way. He just laid the groundwork there for you and now he’ll build on it.”  
  
“I don’t get it. What more could he do seriously? He has made me feel loved, cared and needed, gave me a way out of my family’s clutches, and supported me with a life-changing decision. Seriously what more? What more could he do to make me happier?”  
  
“I guess you’ll need to see that for yourself.”  
  
_With a wink, Val had gone back to the bar to do some more shots. The things she had said had left her puzzled. Usually Val was very direct and straight to point. She was very cryptic this time but then again it could have been the alcohol in her blood. Dany decided to not to occupy her mind with this, but instead took a look at Jon and found him to be looking at her. He then excused himself to come and bring her to the table as well. Davos was no stranger to her for sure, but then again she also was a big fan of Coach Rayder herself. Soon enough, she found herself engulfed in a wonderful and deep conversation about life with people who had accomplished a lot, but then again had left so many things behind them to actually get where they stood. That talk made her question what she was leaving behind to go further and she came to the conclusion that almost everything was changing for the better. She then paid attention to what Coach Rayder was saying and boy he was so right.  
  
“ _It’s Newton’s third law: For every action, there is a reaction. We cannot keep winning continuously, unless we actually sacrifice some things along the way. Mankind needs to change, needs to adapt to the circumstances to be able to survive in this chaotic thing we call life. That’s why change doesn’t scare me. Change always should be embraced, especially when the new, promises to be better than the old. That’s what I’d put my money on, every single day.”  
  
_ They had discussed this among themselves and called it a new life. Everything was changing and they were adapting to it. Jon had argued that they weren’t changing, they were still Jon and Dany from a year ago, but the compromises they made had added to their will to actually stay together. It had taken them some time to come this far, but at that point, Dany knew that she was fully ready to spend the rest of her life with this man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... I just wonder what more could that be?
> 
> In any case, the groundwork is set for the ending to arrive and the promised two chapters will arrive at some point for sure. It is near impossible for me to guarantee a timeline but I'll do my best.
> 
> I hope whoever read this actually liked it! Until next time.


	25. Realizing Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The preparation for the trip, the Valyria trip itself and the events following the trip.
> 
> A quick warning as this chapter contains some verbal and physical abuse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Being stuck at home and not having to go to work for the next two weeks certainly left me with free time in my hands so here it goes. This is the longest chapter of the story so far and it just kept flowing and I couldn't resist writing more and more. Hope you will enjoy!

The month of May was going to be packed with events.  
  
First it was Dany’s birthday and Jon had thought that they would start celebrating on the International Workers’ Day and have an extended weekend, as Dany’s birthday was on Monday, just like his was. However Dany had wanted to be with family, therefore there would be no long getaway for them. Instead, Jon had arranged it so that they would have a barbecue and have some fun on the Kingswood on Saturday, family dinner on Sunday and on her actual birthday, they would have the day off and go on a daily cruise to Driftmark, if the weather was nice enough. This would be a calm and totally relaxing way of spending the weekend, because afterwards, they would need to be back at the office, taking meetings and get back to working on the feasibility for the collective.  
  
That wasn’t going to be for long though. Two weeks of rush at work and then they would be off to Valyria for a total of nine days. The first few days of the trip were only for exploring the ancient civilization, enjoying the nice Valyrian climate and the beaches and finally the one event that was the reason that they were taking the trip for. Jon had only told Davos about his one secret plan and nobody else knew about it. Maybe Arya or Val might have guessed what was going to happen and even if they did, they surely had kept it to themselves, because Dany surely looked completely unaware of what he had in mind. Especially now that the deal was sealed about the whole trip, he didn’t worry or stress about it anymore, which meant that he was back to being himself and was generally in control of what was going around them.  
  
Jaime, Elia, Oberyn, Ellaria, Irri and Missandei had joined them for the barbecue. This also served as some sort of introduction for Missy’s boyfriend Grey, who looked very much down to earth and blended into the group rather smoothly. The general morale was high, the collective was naturally the focal point of the conversation and new ideas had surfaced after these long talks. Currently they were preparing to operate from three big cities of Westeros, but they surely needed to expand later on. What Jaime was insisting on actually had made sense, because for stability and to be able to expand eventually, they would need to work with the state. They had refrained from doing that since they had established BackStage because the label stuck with you, once you got in bed with Euron Greyjoy or one of his pawns. However with Seaworth becoming president and all those related to Greyjoy being put on trial had actually left a clear path for the up and coming companies like theirs to establish themselves and take their chances with the state.   
  
Jon had insisted that they needed a small base on Dragonstone and another one in Lannisport. Oberyn, not being involved in the business had called it a smart idea, as this would mean that they would be rather widespread around the country. Still this was further down the road, especially when the most important place to secure was Harrenhal at the moment. Being on good terms with the state was going to help them establish themselves for sure, but even for that, they would actually need to prepare everything by the books and take baby steps with their work. The more time they spent on it, the more it looked feasible, especially now that they were close to securing a nice office in Harrenhal, not to mention some work contacts, thanks to the scouting and deals that Val and Arya pulled off there. Things were slowly but surely coming together, although they still had a long way to go to actually be able to reach what they had in mind in the first place.  
  
After a lazy Saturday, they had slept long on Sunday morning. By long, it meant that Jon was up by 9 am anyway but didn’t bother Dany so she could sleep as long as she wanted. He quietly moved to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for them. Since the campaign had ended, Jon had been very decisive about the fact that they would wake up at normal hours during the weekdays, eat three main meals with snacks in between, exercise at every possible turn and never stay home for more than forty-eight hours, unless either one of them were sick. Dany had been on board with that decision and complied better than he had thought. Still this was a lazy Sunday; they were to have dinner with her parents and until then, Jon didn’t want Dany to even remotely tire herself with anything. It hadn’t taken Dany to rise earlier than usual either and suddenly Jon found himself, being held from behind.  
  
“ _Someone’s up early. Already made coffee for us so just take some.”  
  
“You are a delight. Are you actually preparing breakfast for us?”  
  
“Yep. I figured that I could’ve handled it while you were still asleep but then again, I only need to take care of the omelette and that will be it.”  
  
“Mmm, would you like to maybe… you know, come back to bed with me?”  
  
“I sense an ulterior motive here?”  
  
“Nope, no motive. I want you in our bed, right now.”  
  
“I guess I have no other choice but to obey this command. In any case, I will do this gladly.”  
  
_With a wink, he just picked her up and kissed her. She had already wrapped her arms around his neck and wasn’t letting him go. He slowly moved towards the bedroom and carefully put her on the bed. It didn’t take him long to join her and they were kissing passionately again soon after. There were no rush in their movements, both of them clearly enjoying this silent and lazy Sunday, which would soon be filled with their moans and screams of pleasure. Once they actually broke the kiss to catch their breath, Jon used the opportunity to cup her face and look her in the eyes.  
  
“ _So, where do you want me next?”  
  
“Mmm, let me think… First between my legs and then actually inside me.”  
  
_He was more than happy to oblige.  
  
***  
  
Sex and a long breakfast was always the best way to start a lazy Sunday.  
  
Then it came to her that they would head to her parents’ place today, which meant that Rhaegar was going to be there too and she didn’t know how to feel about that. They hadn’t been on speaking terms since she stormed out of his office and eventually the firm, no talks had been held between them. Considering that she was a partner, still she had some say in the firm’s business but she was sure as hell that she was never going back. This could be the perfect opportunity to get rid of the final clutch that tied her to that goddamn firm. She had her father’s backing, Rhaenys didn’t give a shit at all and with Jon there by her side, and she would definitely feel more powerful and definitely would have the position of strength, when it came to the negotiations. This was something important and she felt the need to consult with Jon, before making any move. He was in the living room, ironing his shirt so she decided to head there as well.  
  
“ _I have something that I need to discuss with you. Your opinion is really important on this so if you have the time?”  
  
“Of course love, what is it?”  
  
“It’s about Rhaegar. We haven’t been on speaking terms since… well, since I left the firm. I heard from mom that he was doing better but nothing more. Apparently he hasn’t buried the firm to the ground so that’s good for him, but I still own one third of the shares and I really don’t want to have any ties left with the term so that I can be on good terms with my brother.”  
  
“Let me guess… You want to use the position of strength to negotiate with him this afternoon. Am I right?”  
  
“That’s what I had in mind but I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”  
  
“Well, if you’re not sure, then maybe it isn’t a good idea actually.”  
  
“No, don’t. I don’t need you to approve me, just tell me what am I missing here? You clearly don’t think it’s wise to lock horns with him today. Why not?”  
  
_He sighed, hung up his shirt and turned the iron off. Then he sat down on the couch, facing her and held her hand.  
  
“ _Look, when you feel like you are in a position of strength, it is usually the time that you’ll be prone to making mistakes. Plus, you aren’t prepared to lock horns with him at all. We’re practically coming from a long vacation; we’ve just been back at work for maybe a week so we all are rusty. I wouldn’t rush into this the first time I saw him in a month but today I’d rather test him. We know that he’s doing better, right? Therefore he’ll be more reluctant to talk about shares with you. Make sure that he’s the one who offers to discuss terms but be a hard sell about it. He actually might want to initiate it with Rhaenys around but then again you cannot know for sure. So I’d rather play the patience card here, get Rhaenys to back you up when the time comes and get rid of the fucking shares so you have your money and are free to do whatever you want to do with it.”  
  
_ “ _So you’re saying that I shouldn’t discuss terms with him today, even if he initiates it?”  
  
“Exactly and don’t cave in if he apologizes. I’m not his enemy here of course but I’m holding your benefits higher up. No offence, right?”  
  
“No, none taken and in any case he deserves it. How would YOU play it, if this were your business?”  
  
“Me? I’d completely ignore him like you’ve been doing for a month. Then when he initiates the discussion, I’d shut him out and make him work his way up again. Only then, with Rhaenys backing me up, I’d agree to sell my shares and be done with him. Of course afterwards I'd be really friendly towards him because you know, family thing etc. but you know that part.”  
  
“This was the first thing which came to my mind but then I just felt like I was in a position of strength and I could be done with it this evening. That kinda made me want to rush into things but, apparently what came to my mind first was the better move.”  
  
“I wouldn’t always count on that. You are a brilliant businesswoman and I admire how you handle your own work, but negotiating isn’t your strong suit. If you want to play your cards right, I would suggest that you let things unfold a little before actually making a move. In your case, Rhaegar is a reckless man and will be more vulnerable to attacks from his position. Cornered animals are likely to rush into things like this, he most probably will want to be done with it sooner than you think so I expect that you’ll be rid of this issue by next week.”  
  
“You think so?”  
  
“I have foreseen it. You know that I can be like Palpatine sometimes.”  
  
“You are a real jerk sometimes but I love you. Now I should go get dressed and we should head to my parents’ for the meal. Dad has been going on and on about how you are the nicest guy on earth etc. so he’s really going to be happy to see you.”  
  
_She then dressed herself in a rather casual manner. A fitting black long sleeved top with jeans was going to do the trick. Jon was also dressed in dark jeans and a black shirt. They very often matched when it came to clothing and this was something she secretly liked. When she dressed in a more colorful manner, Jon always picked something that would make sure that her choice of clothing would come forward. He almost never showed it, but his understanding of aesthetics and his taste with clothing was really something. Once they were ready, Jon just called a cab and they hopped on it, heading straight to her parents’ place.  
  
When they arrived, Rhaenys was already there. She greeted her warmly and was surprisingly friendly towards Jon, although they had just met once. Her mom had declined her help and sent her back to the living room, where Jon, Rhaenys and her father were engaged in a solid conversation. There was no awkward silence between them and she loved that how Jon blended in with her family. No other man had been able to do that and this was seriously melting her heart, every time she witnessed it. Quietly, she sat down with them and decided to observe and listen for a while. Her sister was currently on the topic of Valyria, trying to learn a bit more about the details and the motivation of their trip.   
  
_“So you guys are heading to Valyria this month. That’s one place I haven’t been to yet. I’ve been to almost all the Eastern coast of The Narrow Sea. The Disputed Lands are great for vacationing too and I was told that they carry a lot of Valyrian background. I’m pretty sure Dany will love it with all the architecture and the ancient civilization. Do you mean to find some muse there for your work?”  
  
“Well, that will be the icing on the cake, if that happens of course. Our main motivation was the final-four anyway, but a week away from the continent can do wonders, that I’m sure of. I studied in Braavos and worked there later on for a while too and during the time, I actually traveled way less than I hoped to do so. Now there is time and the money, I think this is the perfect opportunity for us, especially before the collective is fully operational. Once that happens, we probably won’t find that much free time.”  
_  
Then her father interfered as expected. Of course, old Aerys Targaryen was thinking about his end of the bargain. There was a deal made between her parents and themselves, and her father was always glad to remind them about it.  
  
“ _That however, doesn’t mean that you will skip the weekly meetings with us, right?”  
  
“Of course not. Actually I was thinking that we could host you more often after the summer. It always feels like that we’re putting too much burden on Rhaella with this that she finds herself stuck in the kitchen for a day, just because we’re showing up for dinner.”  
  
“She hasn’t complained yet, but I guess you guys could host us every now and then surely. That will be a nice change and I like your apartment. It is cozy enough, plus you have that giant screen for the games. It’s always more entertaining for me that way.”  
  
_Then the doorbell rang and Dany so wasn’t in the mood to get it. Luckily Rhaenys was aware of the tension and made her way towards the door. She greeted Rhaegar, Tyene and little Aegon, whom Jon was to see for the first time. Dany had missed her nephew and apparently the feeling was mutual. The little boy ran towards her as fast as he could and soon enough his arms were wrapped around her neck. She just glimpsed at her brother and his wife and acknowledged their presence with a nod. Jon just went for a handshake with both of them and she was really worried that this tension would cause her father to be more aggressive about things. He on the other hand, knew how to handle situations like these and was quick to intervene.  
  
“ _I absolutely don’t want any tension here. We’ve gathered for a celebration and I don’t want a single word spoken about work. Are we clear about it?”  
  
_ All they could do was nod. Then she caught Rhaenys smirking at Jon, who was smirking back to her. It was nice that those two were getting along this well and she knew it in her heart that her sister liked her boyfriend quite a lot, because they were very much alike. A few minutes of playing with little Aegon had calmed her nerves, while Rhaegar looked like he was getting more and tenser with each minute. Tyene was going on and on about how much she adored Jon and his friends’ work at the theater and was asking if _Ebrose of Old Westeros_ would be back on stage anytime soon. Jon had calmly replied that due to family matters that Sam might not be able to be back at full capacity until the end of this season but for sure the play was to return next autumn. All the conversation halted once her mother called her girls into the kitchen for help and that meant time for setting up the table was now. Rhaenys lead the way to the kitchen, while Tyene looked like she felt obliged to help so she followed them as well. Just before leaving the living room, she took one last look at her brother, who was sulking with absolutely no color on his face, while her father and Jon were talking about Valyrian liquor.   
  
***  
  
Rhaegar looked so tense that Jon thought that he could implode.  
  
When Aerys Targaryen left for the bathroom, he immediately leaned towards him and with a whispering voice, initiated the conversation. He could tell that the man sitting across was troubled and was barely holding everything together.  
  
“ _I need Dany back at the firm.”  
  
“I’m not the person you should tell this. Plus I believe your father made it very clear that nothing about work was to be discussed today?”  
  
“Well he can’t hear us now, can he? I need you to convince her to come back.”  
  
“And why would I do that? So you can leave the pile of work on her and go do what you want to do? Fuck no. If you have the balls to face your sister, do that and leave me out of it.”  
  
“What is it with you that makes you so untouchable for all my family? They all adore you, while now I am the black sheep here.”  
  
“Well I wouldn’t know, I wasn’t born into this family. In any case, my word on the matter is final. You’re not getting through me. Try again and I’ll tear you apart.”  
  
_With a cough, Aerys Targaryen was back in the room and Rhaegar immediately leaned back on his seat. It was clear that the old men saw through the scene, but refrained from commenting. Within a few seconds, the food arrived and Rhaella invited everyone to the table. The food smelled delicious and Jon really thought that everyone here could use a break from all the endeavors of the world and actually chill a little bit. Luckily for him, Dany looked relaxed, having clearly engaged in a fun conversation with Rhaenys in the kitchen. There were toasts made, some wine consumed, food devoured and within an hour, Jon found himself helping with carrying dishes back to the kitchen with Rhaenys. They were done rather quickly and just when he was about to head back to the living room, she stopped him.  
  
“ _Mind joining me for a smoke at the balcony? I believe we should have a word anyway.”  
  
“Sure, lead the way.”  
  
_It looked like this would be a rather tense conversation but then again the air didn’t feel tense at all. Rhaenys was smiling at him, sizing him up a little bit and looked impressed with what she had seen so far. After a few puffs of smoke, she started explaining her motives.  
  
“ _Look, we don’t know each other well enough, this is only the second time I’ve seen you after all. Still, I’ve taken a liking to you and I can clearly see that you love my sister and make her happy. Now she’s come a long way with you, she has been an emotionally clueless person all her life but you clearly made her understand a few things. All the stuff she’s told me actually means that you have changed her for the better so I should thank you for it.”  
  
“You’re welcome, but I feel like there is more to this?”  
  
“You’re right. Now she might be an idiot but I’m not. I can see that you’ve worked your way towards a proposal. Taking her to her all-time favorite dream place, arranging all the activities she loves, hanging out with our parents, actually getting along with my father and so on. You’ve known since the beginning, right?”  
  
“Yep. Still, I’m good at keeping these to myself, until the right time of course.”  
  
“That’s good, because I know my sister and she will panic. Now you’re on the right track and it’s nice that you’re clear with your motives but I should ask you. Are you ABSOLUTELY sure that you want to do this?”  
  
“I am. I would have denied having motivations otherwise.”  
  
“Wow, you really are blunt and straight to point like she said. I like that a lot. In any case, it would be insincere to say that you have my blessing but you look like a guy who knows what he’s doing. Plus my father would have already murdered you, if you had an ulterior motive so; I guess I’m on board with this. And don’t worry, I won’t utter a single word.”  
  
“Thanks. We should probably get inside though. I don’t want to get on your father’s bad side.”  
  
“I wouldn’t want to do that either. Let’s go!”  
  
_When they made their way back to the living-room, Rhaegar was all red, but so was Aerys. He was definitely fuming and Rhaella was doing all her best to keep him calm. Dany on the other hand, looked pale, but not angry at all. He knew that this wasn’t his place to ask questions and demand answers so he just went and sat right next to Dany and held her hand. Luckily, Rhaenys wasn’t going to take any bullshit on a fine day like this and only then, he saw the eldest Targaryen sibling had a mean side.  
  
“ _I have specifically told you at least five times to not to bring up the subject today but you are so fucking stupid that you couldn’t even understand the point of it. Now lucky for you, your wife and child are inside in the guest bedroom and Tyene is trying to put Aegon to sleep so this won't turn into a screaming match. I’m calling for a partners meeting next week and we’ll settle this. One thing I know for sure is that I know whose side I’ll be taking.”  
  
_ This was going to be much easier than they thought after all. Rhaenys was going to break the final chain for Dany and she would be free of all the things that held her back, even if they were only in the back of her mind. That outburst clearly made her feel at peace too, because she was squeezing his hand with joy and looking at him like a kid, who was just let loose in a candy store. He felt really happy for her at that very moment, because all he ever wanted for her was that she actually had the chance to be herself, free of worrying for someone else’s troubles, even if that someone was family. He could feel the tension slowly fading once the coffee and cake came and soon after, they headed home.  
  
The weather unfortunately wasn’t on their side on Dany’s birthday, but they had turned it into their advantage in any case. Jon prepared lots of finger food for both of them and they spent the laziest of days, watching concerts, series and two movies, pausing every now and then to make love. Throughout the day, he could see the happiness in her eyes and that had made him the happiest man on the planet. It was a fine, fine day.  
  
***  
  
She was finally going to get her hands on Petyr Baelish.  
  
Once she got the call from Jon Arryn, informing her that Baelish was being transported to the North, where he would be tried and sentenced in the old way, her heartbeat quickened so much that she actually needed to sit down and digest the news. Sandor Clegane was to pick her up from Harrenhal and escort her to Winterfell for the trial. Nowadays executions weren’t legal anymore, but she knew that she would have her way with Baelish, no matter the outcome of the trial. She immediately sent a text to Jon, telling him about the news and informed him that she would be in Winterfell for the next week. Gendry would still stay in Harrenhal and when he had asked why he couldn’t come with her, she had told him that this was Northern business and she had to deal with this personally.  
  
“ _I’m sorry, how Northern this is actually? I didn’t know that Clegane was from the North.”  
  
“He’s from the Westerlands but he’s on state duty, therefore he’s allowed.”  
  
“All these Northern customs are really tiring for me to follow. You sure you’ll be okay?”  
  
“Positive. I wouldn’t worry about me at all.”  
  
_Clegane wasn’t a talker. In fact, he was probably the most silent and peaceful traveling companion one could ever find. He had picked her up from Val’s place and drove her to the small airport, just outside the God’s Eye, where the rich kept their private jets and helicopters. They were to take Arryn’s private jet for this business and Arya was somehow grateful that they weren’t going to drive. She had just taken the road from Harrenhal to Winterfell by bus and although the road was entertaining enough due to the company she was with, this was serious business. Clegane’s presence had put her mind at ease; she knew that he would be with her both during and after the trial, not to mention that he would be the guard for the time that she would get alone with Baelish. The agreement was silent but there and both of them knew it.  
  
“ _You’ve come a long way little bird. It still feels like yesterday when I smuggled you back into Westeros. Now when I think of it, ten years have passed and you’re still a little bird.”  
  
“I don’t need you to remind me about that Clegane. Fill me in about the trial while we have some time in our hands. Who’s the judge and will there be a jury or something like that?”  
  
“Wyman Manderly was appointed by Seaworth. They trust that he will keep to your interests. There were talks of Robett Glover but it was blotted by Arryn.”  
  
“That treacherous cunt. Glad that he isn’t involved in this. Father never liked him either, that much I remember.”  
  
“Well, he is a well-recognized cunt and the continent knows about it. It’s a consensus, just like it was with the late Randyll Tarly.”  
  
“True that. You are quite wise in politics, did you know that?”  
  
“I’m not wise; I just understand how the world works. Plus, I’m here to help and actually throw a few punches. I seriously need to blow off some steam.”  
  
“You’ll get your chance, that I can promise you.”  
  
“I know. Davos sent me here on that purpose.”  
  
_The trial was just for scenery and Arya knew it. Actually everyone knew it, because nobody, even the people who did business with Petyr Baelish back in the day, liked him one bit. He was a tool, quite the useful one, if you wanted to get things done without getting your hands dirty. Baelish had a network of spies, whores and political connections, all of whom actually relied on his web of information. Funny thing was that he had stepped on quite a lot of people while getting where he was and one of them, who turned out to be Varys, had brought his end. The crimes were listed, every time Baelish attempted to even explain himself, he was cut short, his state appointed attorney didn’t look interested at all, he was just doing his duty, and Wyman Manderly cut to the chase rather quickly. Baelish was sentenced to lifetime prison, all of which, he would serve at the remnants of The Wall. The legendary structure from ancient Westeros, still somehow stood. Baelish was assigned to Greyguard, which was practically a ruin. Lucky for her, she wasn’t going to need to travel to The Wall to actually get her hands on Baelish, it was going to happen very soon, right after Baelish would be put in Cerwyn Prison, for the night. If he was able to make it to Greyguard, Arya already hoped that he would live a long and painful life, after what was going to be done to him.  
  
When the time was right, the floor was cleared and Baelish was brought out of his cell, and brought into where Arya and Clegane were waiting for him. Once he was pushed into the room and the door was locked, Arya could sense that it wasn’t going to take him long to shit himself from fear. Still, she didn’t make a move, signaled to Clegane to bring him closer to her so that she could establish eye contact with the bastard. Baelish looked visibly disturbed now and the silence was creeping all around the room. With her signal, Clegane threw a punch at Baelish, directly to his face and stepped back. The big man had barely put any effort into it but Baelish was already crying like a bitch, murmuring that his nose was broken. Arya didn’t care that if he was hurt at all, this was the snake that had destroyed her family. She once again signaled to Clegane, who this time rammed Baelish’s face to the desk in front of him. It already started looking like a bloody mess, but Arya still didn’t care. She leaned back in her chair, lit a cigarette and puffed it to Baelish’s face. It was time to talk.  
  
“ _Now I’ll ask you some questions and if you are honest in answering them, this will be quick. You will leave this place alive no matter what and head to Greyguard tomorrow. The state you leave however, depends on your honesty. So you will try doing the one thing that you haven’t ever done in your life.”  
  
_ All Baelish could do was to nod at her. He was too scared to make eye contact for sure and Clegane was still lurking in the background, with a smirk on his face, waiting for another command to actually bash the motherfucker’s head one more time.   
  
“ _Who gave the order of demeaning my father? And no, Euron Greyjoy isn’t the valid answer here. Give me the name who was in between.”  
  
_ The silence kept creeping for a while and Arya signaled at Clegane. When he heard the footstep, Baelish immediately came to life and he started mumbling.  
  
“ _Robert Baratheon. It was Robert Baratheon.”  
  
_ As he was still mumbling, Clegane grabbed him by the back of his neck and lifted him from the chair. Arya could see that he was literally enjoying this, maybe even a bit too much for her taste but, she decided to let the man be. _  
  
“LOUDER. I couldn’t hear you, YOU DUMB CUNT. LOUDER SO THE LADY CAN HEAR YOU.”  
_   
She let the silence linger a little bit more and then stood up from her chair. She was in no hurry and didn’t want to make this quick at all. She was going to extract all the answers she needed and be done with this part of her life. Her new life was waiting for her and because of that, this was the time to be ruthless. She thought of Jon for a moment, remembering the time that she was on the run and that fueled her anger once again.  
  
 _“Why did Robert Baratheon want that? He was on good terms with my father.”  
  
“It was because he was already in bed with Greyjoy at that time. They worked collectively even before he came to power. Robert put some things in motion for Euron to take over the business from his brother, ousting his niece and nephew, almost ten years ago. Since then, they have been engaged in a win-win relationship. Greyjoy had cleared the way for his rise to power, helped him oust the Durrandons and then Robert in return, pushed the buttons for demeaning your father. I was just the instrumental tool because my show attracted public interest and I fueled the hate for your father. His only fault was to trust me and I had warned him about that when we had met.”  
  
_The last sentence was spoken with such venom; it had provoked her enough to kick him in the gut. Clegane had smirked at first and later looked at her with a questioning look. At that time she still needed the answers so she held him off and turned her attention to Baelish.  
  
“ _Continue then. Why have him murdered? Why not oust him like Durrandon?”  
  
“Because Arlan Durrandon was a fool and was nowhere near the fighter that your father was. When he was ousted, he had retreated to his home and waited for his death, which came soon enough, but your father was popular, he had the power of the North with him and his popularity was rising within the Southern states as well. The polls were turning to his favor and Euron couldn’t just take the risk.”  
  
_“ _NOW CLEGANE.”  
  
_ The punch he threw was lightning quick and insanely strong at the same time that Baelish’s head looked like it could bend anytime. She was practically making Baelish say the things that she knew about already, but her ulterior motive hadn’t seen the light of day yet. There was one more personal question to ask and she would be done with it.  
  
“ _Okay, one final question and we’ll be done here. Were you by any means involved in Tywin Lannister’s death?”  
  
“No. That was truly an accident. Euron actually had wanted to marry his sister back in the day and he was hoping that they could work together.”  
  
“The thing is, Tywin Lannister would have never worked together with pieces of shit like you and you would have assassinated him, just like you had with my father. That will be all. I hope you’ll rot in Greyguard and I’ll never see your smug face again.”  
  
_She started making her way towards the door, where Clegane was standing and waiting for her. The next thing she was going to order wasn’t anything civilized but still was within her rights. She had the tape, in which Baelish had confessed all the crimes and this would find its way to Arryn’s office very soon. She took one final look at the room and then looked at Clegane.  
  
“ _Break some of his bones. Actually break a lot of his bones but make sure that he can still travel to The Wall tomorrow. I want him to suffer.”  
  
“Gladly.”  
  
_With that, this chapter of her life was finally closed. She would visit her father’s grave tonight and head back to Harrenhal tomorrow morning. After years of psychological torture, she had finally found her inner peace.  
  
***  
  
The stress was becoming too much to bear and she needed Jon.  
  
She was to head to the firm for one last time and be done with it. Rhaenys had told on the phone to not to worry one bit and she preferred that Dany actually just stood there while she torched Rhaegar. Clearly her sister was fueled about some things already and for once, she had decided to get involved with the family business. She had sent a driver to have her picked up from home and brought to the firm. Rhaenys had always been considerate enough in so many ways that, it often broke Dany’s heart that she lived in a different city. Her sudden interest in the family business was another question. When she had asked Jon about it, he had replied that it could be due to the lack of purpose, especially now that both of her children weren’t in constant need of her presence at home and old enough to take care of themselves. It sort of made sense to her and even if it hadn’t, the timing was impeccable that she couldn’t care less.  
  
The drive was uneventful and maybe she had five more minutes before she arrived, she received a text from Jon.   
  
“ _Stay calm, let them go at it and then pick up the pieces. You’ll know what to do. I love you and I trust you.”  
  
_ That was all the motivation that she needed and with a smile on her face, she made her entrance through the main door. She was greeted by the team of workers, who had clearly been informed about her arrival. Shouts of _Ms. Targaryen_ were around and she slowly made her way to the elevator with people waving at her. They seemed happy that she had returned and probably thought that she had returned to stay. Little did they know that this was probably the last time she actually came here, because she knew it deep down in her heart that she was never coming back here.   
  
Once she got out of the elevator at the partners’ floor, her former secretary Sarella was waiting for her. She clearly looked happy to see her and Dany knew that it would be rude to ignore the young woman, who had been the biggest help to her, since she was hired.  
  
“ _Welcome Ms. Targaryen, it’s so good to see you. Your presence have been missed here and things haven’t been the same since that day.”  
  
“Good to see you too Sarella. I won’t be staying long; this will be a short meeting as I’m told. I’m just here to sign some papers in official capacity for the last time and leave.”  
  
“You’re leaving for good? Oh god… Mr. Targaryen had said that there was a big possibility that you were returning full-time.”  
  
“Well, Mr. Targaryen is full of shit in this case. Are they both here already?”  
  
“Yes, your sister just arrived about five minutes ago.”  
  
“Good. I’ll see you when I’m done. There is something that I’ve been meaning to ask you.”  
  
“Of course Ms. Targaryen.”  
  
_When she entered the room, she found Rhaenys on the couch, calmly smoking her cigarette and enjoying some Lysene coffee. She smiled at her sister but made no eye contact with Rhaegar. Sitting across the seat from Rhaenys, she lit a cigarette too and waited for the conversation to start. With a cough, Rhaegar looked to be the one to initiate the discussion but Rhaenys quickly interrupted him.  
  
 _“Shut up little brother. I’ll do most of the talking and you will listen now.”  
  
_ This time the silence wasn’t uncomfortable for her. She waited for Rhaenys to start talking and she was looking at her with a look of question on her face. She nodded to her sister to mean that it was time and Rhaenys didn’t waste another second.  
  
“ _Now you have been really incompetent with running the firm by yourself, therefore I will be returning to the firm in full capacity. Don’t even try asking about my children and my family, because that’s none of your business. You focus on holding yours together. Now Dany dearest, since this is the last time you’ll vote, who do you want as managing partner here?”  
  
“You.”  
  
“Very well, the vote is two against one, which means I’ll be managing partner from now on.”  
_  
Rhaegar looked insanely red and almost about to burst but Rhaenys gave her no opportunity to interrupt.  
  
“ _Now another topic of discussion: Since Dany wants out for good, her shares will be distributed. I want an even distribution, but since I’m managing partner, I will hold 51% of the shares, while Rhaegar will have 49%. All those in favor?”  
  
_ Dany had raised her hand while Rhaegar was completely fuming. This was easier than she thought. All she had to do was to say aye, raise her hand and so on. She didn’t even have to open her mouth to actually express any opinion or anything. This was fun. Then Rhaenys took out four separate documents from her suitcase. Those were the official documents about Dany selling her shares and her siblings buying her out. She quickly read through the documents and then signed them without hesitation. Her time here had finally come to an end and the last clutch holding her back was finally gone. She was totally free.  
  
“ _Now Dany, as you know you cannot poach clients from us but then again you are going into a field which is completely different than what we are doing so I guess that doesn’t raise any conflict, right?”  
  
“Not at all, Rhaenys. Thank you for making this really smooth. I’m glad that I’ll see you more often. Have fun working here.”  
  
_With that, she was out of the office. She stopped by Sarella’s desk and got straight to point.  
  
“ _Now that I’m officially gone from here, I can make you an offer. Come work for me after the summer. We’ll have a collective formed by late August and I really need a good number two, who understands and foresees my needs. You’ve worked with me for quite a while now and I know that I can count on you.”  
  
“I’d love to Ms. Targaryen. So I guess I’ll give you a call in around June or July?”  
  
“Do that. I’ll be expecting your call. Bye for now.”  
  
_It felt great to be out of the firm for good and forever. Now all she had to do was go home, pack and leave for Valyria with Jon. The feeling in her told her that this was going to be a great time.  
  
***  
  
It was a bit risky to do a round trip to Dragonstone from King’s Landing on the same day, but he had managed. Nobody knew where he had been during that day and luckily enough, nobody had asked. Dany thought that he would be with Jaime, while Jaime thought that he had business elsewhere. He actually didn’t give a shit if anybody asked, he was days away from realizing his dream and he could practically roast anyone who would dare to stand in his way. When he made it home, Dany had arrived maybe ten or fifteen minutes ago. She looked in a good mood so he decided to ask her about her day. That would surely mean that she would go on for a while and during that time he could pack his stuff.  
  
While she was filling him in with the details of the meeting, he actually had to stop a few times to burst out with laughter, because it was after all, pretty funny. He had nothing against Rhaegar but then again he had inadvertently sabotaged their relationship more than once and although he didn’t hold a grudge, he did enjoy the fact that justice was served. The day’s stories were done with and Dany hadn’t asked what he had been up to. Usually this would have been something that he could have taken offense at. However this time, that wasn’t the case. He was glad that Dany had exhausted herself during the day and due to heavy stress in the first half of the day and the relief afterwards, she wasn’t in the mood to get into deep discussions. All she wanted to do was pack and then with a glass of something, lay on their big couch and stare at the tv, with her head on his shoulder.  
  
Once all the suitcases were closed, his suit and her dress were hung and zipped, they were good to go. Jon poured both of them a glass of Dornish and within no time, they were on the couch. She looked so much in peace that his heart had melted at the sight. He was so happy that she was free of her clutches, the last bit of stress that was holding her back, seeding doubt into her mind… All was gone and he too was relieved. He was going to make sure that they would get the best out of their journey and he so hoped that everything worked out the way they wanted it to.  
  
It was a five hour flight to Valyria. The flight itself wasn’t anything special, but once they were through the Narrow Sea, the landscape under them had dramatically changed. There was more space between cities or towns, some parts were greener than Westeros, while some parts of the land looked like a cheap imitation of Dorne. Essos was always intriguing for both of them, especially they both were into Essosi history and culture. Jon had dug into the Essosi music, mainly in during the time that he had studied in Braavos, while Dany had always been fascinated by the Essosi way of architecture. Valyrians were famous for their modern buildings, while they had managed to preserve the artifacts from the old ages and one could easily say that they were born to build. With their descent beginning, Jon knew that for a week, it was goodbye to Westerosi customs, food, currency and liquor. Valyrians were famous with their champagne, but due to the heat of the land, they had variety of cocktails, which he hoped were drinkable enough.  
  
The landing, the trip to the hotel and the check-in was all a blur. They immediately settled their stuff, hung their fancy clothing for the ceremony and the dinner and immediately Jon filled the bathtub so that they could spend some time there. This was one of those smart-buildings, where you could pretty much voice-command everything in the room and the acoustics were designed accordingly too. Popping a bottle of champagne, they stepped into the tub and put on some relaxing music to go along with. The echo in the bathroom was amazing and it certainly created a hypnotic effect. After the flight and all that tiredness, Jon lost himself in Dany, who was in the happiest of moods for sure and her moans soon took over the echo of the music in the bathroom as Jon couldn’t just simply have enough of her.  
  
After washing up and resting for a bit, they decided to go and explore the city a little with hopes of finding a place to eat. Soon enough they found an original Valyrian place with authentic food and drinks. There were oysters, clams and cockles, lots of fried vegetables and luckily, cold beer to go along with it. The cold beer had felt like heaven after the food and Jon could feel that the fatigue from the trip was actually kicking in. They slowly walked to their hotel and minutes after stepping into their room, sleep took them both with ease.  
  
***  
  
This was the happiest she had ever been in her life.  
  
She was at her dream place with the love of her life, going from place to place, admiring the architecture, the culture itself and she was filled with so much joy that she felt like screaming her happiness from some cliff. Jon had been a darling since they had arrived and had accompanied her to every place she decided to go. Dany didn’t mind the heat one bit, but Jon wasn’t so fond of it. Yet he had stood his ground and stayed with her throughout. They explored museums, went into old houses, saw some of the preserved artifacts, had lunch at a vinery, which was surprisingly similar to the one they had been in Dragonstone, enjoyed the scorching heat of the beach, the relieving ocean, the wonderful, delightful cocktails they served. It truly felt like the holiday she hadn’t been able to take in the past few years.   
  
When she felt like she was losing herself in her own happiness, she noticed that Jon was in the happiest state that she had ever seen him. He was full of life and energy, completely enjoying this free time they had together. It didn’t feel like he felt complied to have fun but he was _actually_ having fun. Then it actually hit her that he probably hadn’t had a proper vacation in years either so she decided to ask.  
  
“ _Honey, when was the last time you had a proper vacation?”  
  
“Mm I guess it was around five years ago?”  
  
“FIVE YEARS?” How in the world that you managed to survive for so long without a proper vacation? I had to skip summer vacation this last year and it almost drove me crazy.”  
  
“Well, I used to sneak away from town more often before I met you. Weekends at Harrenhal or Lannisport were usual things for me. I also took monthly trips to Winterfell and Tarth so that neither Arya, nor my parents were offended by my lack of presence.”  
  
“I believe that helps but then again, those aren’t proper vacations, they are getaways. I’m glad that you’re having your first proper vacation in years with me. Really glad.”  
  
“I couldn’t be happier to be honest. This place is fantastic. It’s filled with so much culture and technology that I could piss myself out of happiness. I’m so glad that this was your dream place, because I doubt that I would have decided on coming here by myself or with friends. The thing is only Oberyn would appreciate the culture here and two dudes taking a trip from King’s Landing to Westeros does sound kinda sad.”  
  
_She couldn’t help laughing at the final sentence because it was really funny and Jon had tried so hard to not sound offensive. Still it was funnier than offensive and soon enough he had joined her in laughing too. That had been their mood throughout the first few days of their stay and Dany so hoped that when they were leaving on next Monday, their mood would be even better and spirits even higher.   
  
After spending five days running from place to place and enjoying this unbelievable city, the time had come for the first event that they had signed up for. The day of the introductory ceremony for the final-four had arrived and suddenly she had started feeling the game stress in her stomach again. When she looked at Jon, he looked so relaxed and confident that it eased her stress immediately. They had press-passes for this event so they could actually sit at a nice place within the crowd and it was easier for them to witness what was going on. The Wolves were to meet the Ibben Sharks in the semi-final game and the winner of their tie would go on to meet the winner of the Asshai Shadows-Zamettar Snakes game. None of those teams were accustomed to Westerosi style of playing so Dany felt that their chances were high but then again, this was the final-four and this elimination style matches always somehow favored the underdogs.  
  
Finally the moment had arrived and the final-four was on. The Ibbenese team certainly had the crowd advantage compared to the Wolves. Very few Northerners had actually been able to travel to the event, considering that the costs were too high and the currency difference between Valyrian money and the Westerosi money was way too much for people to be able to afford the tickets. If it weren’t for the huge paycheck that Jon had received from the campaign, he wouldn’t have been able to arrange this trip either. He looked positive and very pumped up for the game and soon Dany understood why. The Sharks were relying more on fast paced, up-tempo game and sure they looked threatening on offense, but The Wolves defense was very well prepared for them. Two big runs in the first half meant they went to the locker room with a double digit lead. The Ibbenese had tried to initiate a comeback in the third quarter, but a run of twelve straight points late in the third quarter and a tight defense on the fourth had sealed the win. They had made it to the final with relative ease, just like when they won the whole thing three years ago. This looked like a repeat performance of the same thing with a twist. Dany now knew more than she thought she believed. She knew that this would be a climactic weekend.  
  
***  
  
The post-match celebrations, sleep, shower, big breakfast, quick swim at the ocean and then back to the hotel for the event. The awards ceremony was surely a huge thing and everyone would be dressed for the occasion. Under this scorching heat, it was going to be hell supporting that suit, but Jon knew that it would be worth it. When they entered the venue, this old but very well preserved Valyrian palace, his mind was blown. Dany was lost in the architectural details of the palace as well and they just couldn’t get their eyes of the wonderful ornaments of the building. The people around them were certainly very rich and came from classy environments and this was considered to be one of the biggest sports events anyway so, there were tons of journalists as well. They ran into Coach Rayder and chit-chatted with him until the event itself began. Jon was beginning to stress more and more about the rest of the evening. Free liquor was surely helpful for calming the nerves but he definitely needed to hold his liquor, because he would need a clear mind for the things to come.  
  
The ceremony started and the awards were given one by one, first to the scoring champion and it went on with the most improved, most promising young player, the defensive player of the year and eventually the all second and first teams. Then it came to the most valuable player of the season, who was ironically from Harrenhal Bears. His reception was mixed, for clearly neither him, nor the Bears or their coach Joffrey Baratheon was liked at all. He still accepted his award with grace and congratulated the others on their awards as well. The next and final award was the coach of the year. Jon knew that since they had finished at the lowest playoff seed, Coach Rayder wasn’t a likely candidate but you never knew with this voting system. In the end, he had gained most of the votes from the players, coaches, executives and the press, not to mention the fan voting and was once again chosen the coach of the year. He watched Dany with a side-eye and she looked very proud while Coach Rayder was giving his speech. He couldn’t help feeling proud himself, after all he was a very big idol to him in all matters of life and surely he had deserved it.  
  
Once the ceremony was over, they quietly made their way to _Old Valyria_ , this fancy and classy restaurant, also rebuilt on one of the old Valyrian artifacts. The place wasn’t maybe the biggest Jon had ever been in, but surely it was the most beautiful restaurant he had ever stepped foot in. The reception was insanely good, the waiters were like worker bees and everything was picture perfect. The starters, the drinks, the salad, the main course… Jon was so lost in the good time that he was having that he almost felt the same way he felt when they first crashed at the hotel. The place was almost hypnotic and it was again, due to the music and the resonance in the background. The acoustic engineering in this place was marvelous and so was the choice of acoustics on the architectural level. He had to regain his composure and just pop the fucking question but it was becoming more and more difficult with each moment. Just when he reached for the ring in his pocket, a tall, blonde man approached their table.  
  
 _“Excuse me; you are Jon Snow, right? The composer for the Westerosi president’s campaign.”  
  
“That is correct and who would you be? I’m sorry if I’m rude but I think I know you from somewhere but I just cannot say from where.”  
  
“The name is Aurion Belaerys. I’m a director and you might know me from some of the movies I’ve made.”  
  
_AURION FUCKING BELAERYS.  
  
He was the most famous director from Valyria, who had actually shot the recent big blockbuster, _The Long Night_. Jon couldn’t believe that the man had recognized him, while it should have been the other way.  
  
 _“I don’t mean to interrupt but, do you mind if I actually sat down for a few minutes?”  
  
“Of course, it’s a pleasure.”  
  
“I will cut straight to the chase, because I really don’t want to take up much of your time, especially when you’re in the middle of your dinner with your girlfriend but, there are a few things I really want to say now. Actually this is a great luck that I’ve met you here in Valyria, because I really was thinking of scheduling an appointment with your company and come to King’s Landing to meet you in person. Anyway, I’ve followed your work throughout the campaign and I want to say that the quality of the work was astonishing. Me and my wife, who is working as my assistant director, both loved it. The point is, we checked your other promotional work and are very interested in working with you for the upcoming project we have on our plate. I just signed a contract with Rhoynar Entertainment for the next ten years and we are to shoot them a tv series of five seasons, followed with two movies. A huge saga, which will be like The Long Night itself, but we’ll be handling this unique story in a futuristic way and the whole thing will take place in a way different environment. Now I know that this might sound insane but consider this as a job offer for you. Here’s my card and I would very like to be in touch with you. Thank you for your time.”  
  
_Without even letting him answer, he stood up from his seat but Jon wasn’t going to let this go to waste. Not for him, not for Dany, nor for the collective.  
  
“ _Mr. Belaerys wait.”  
  
_ The man then sat down and when he looked at Dany, she just nodded to him with a smile on her face.  
  
“ _Now what you offered is something huge and it means a hell lot more than anything, especially when you offered it in person just like this. I would love to say yes to your offer and I would like to inform you a bit more on what we are about to bring to life at this moment.”  
  
“Please go on, you have my full attention.”  
  
“Me, my girlfriend, my partner and a bunch of other highly talented artists are forming a collective. I will gladly provide the music for your series for sure, but I can also bring a lot more to the table. We have actors, my girlfriend here is an architect who can actually design and build some of your sets, we have another internal designer at our disposal, a sister company which can provide animations and special effects as bonuses. Would you maybe like to sit down with our collective and go through the details when you come to King’s Landing?”  
  
“This is more than I could hope for seriously. This is the whole package. Of course we would need to sit down and discuss the details but if working with your collective means that I will get to work with you for the next ten years, I will do everything in my power to persuade the company to produce a big fat check for your collective. Do you think your people would be able to meet with me by the first week of next month or is it too early?”  
  
“I think this can be arranged. There is still lots of time until then. Looking forward to meet you and your wife in King’s Landing in this case.”  
  
_With that Belaerys stood up from his seat but this time he and Dany were up too. They shook hands with the man and when he had left, Dany had the widest of smiles on her face. Oh how it melted his heart to see her this happy. The thing was that he knew deep in his heart that they both had deserved it after that long and rough road they had to go through. He signaled at the waiter and asked for two glasses of the famous local brandy. Dany was still smiling at him and then extended her hand towards him.  
  
“ _You know what this means right? We just got our first gig and it’s a HUGE one. I’m quite positive that this guy will do everything to get you and get us eventually. A long term deal means stability for all of us and add up the state work that we could get like Jaime said and this will be a self-sustaining thing within a year.”  
  
“I’m so psyched that I don’t know what to say at this moment. You know that I had admired his late work and his name would be a huge game changer for us. Ahh I can’t believe that we actually had to suck up to the late Randyll Tarly for money, just six months ago. This is so great.”  
  
_At that moment the brandy had arrived and was served. The waiter had disappeared within the instance and Jon knew it in his heart that this was the right moment. Dany was still blabbing with happiness in her eyes but he was having a hard time hearing what she was actually saying. He had to focus and get this right. He just had to.  
  
“ _…all I’m saying is, think of all the opportunities that this will bring to us. We don’t need to be exclusive to the company, hiring us as freelancers would be financially beneficial for them too, which means we could still do work on the side and working with them would attract more investors, which means we can actually establish the other bases in Lannisport and Dragonstone too. ARGH this is so great! Can this get any better actually?”  
  
_ Now was the time. He slowly pulled his hand from Dany’s and reached for the ring again. It was right. Now was the time.  
  
 _“Actually, it might. I think there is one more thing to add.”  
  
_ Dany was looking at him with questioning eyes. He had to nail this one. He had to make it right. Now was the time. He was sure, there was no hesitation and he knew that he had wanted to do this since they started seeing each other. He reached for the box, took it from his pocket and opened it to her.  
  
“ _Daenerys Targaryen… Will you marry me?”  
  
_ *** _  
  
_ She totally hadn’t seen this coming.  
  
And she had lost the ability to speak.  
  
“ _Say something Dany. Say something. You know what you want to say. Just say it.”  
  
_ The whole world was too much for maybe a few second but those seconds felt like years to her. This man, this wonderful man whom she loved so much, with whom she wanted to spend the rest of life with had just proposed to her. Again, out of the blue, with the perfect setting that apparently he so carefully brought together. She knew it in her heart. She so knew it and she felt her insides overflowing with joy before she was actually able to open her mouth and utter the simplest and most beautiful word in the common tongue.  
  
“ _Yes.”  
  
_ Time had stopped. All she could see was that he had slid the ring to her finger. How in the hell that he actually knew the measurements? Since when he had been planning this? How? Why? When? The questions in her mind were sending her to overdrive until she heard the cheers from around them. People were applauding them from the other tables around them and Jon had stood up from his seat and was actually standing next to her. He had never looked happier and she hadn’t ever seen him this happy. This was love. Gods, it had taken her a long while to get here but here they were finally. The popping of champagne had brought her senses back and she finally was able to stand up from her seat too and found herself relieved in his embrace. This was really happening. Finally her one last wish was happening. She was realizing her last dream and it felt so good that she knew that she wasn’t going to be able to ever put it into words.  
  
That night she slept so peacefully that she didn’t even remember that there was the final game the next night. Nothing mattered to her anyway, especially now that she knew that she would forever be with the man she loved so dearly. The game was won, the celebrations were on but they were all a formality for her. She had scored the big one last night and couldn’t give a shit about anything else around her. It all finally came to her when they reached their hotel room from the arena that hosted the final-four. She knew that she had a few questions that she was going to ask before they returned to Westeros. After getting rid of her clothes and throwing them into her suitcase, she sat on the bed and just watched Jon organizing his stuff. He was acting like if everything was normal, like he hadn’t pulled off a big stunt just twenty-four hours ago. The calm nature of this man was sometimes killing her but then again it soothed her at the same time. She cleared her throat and decided that it was time to talk.  
  
 _“So I have a few questions if you don’t mind.”  
  
“Of course love, anything you want to know.”  
  
“When did you decide to do this?”  
  
“On the night of the election.”  
  
“The whole Valyria thing and all?”  
  
“That part I decided when the team made it to the playoffs.”  
  
“Okay but since when did you know that you wanted to do this?”  
  
“Since the night on Oberyn’s couch.”  
  
“Even back then? Gods I’m an idiot for not recognizing. Anyway, who else knew?”  
  
“I just told Davos on my birthday because I had to tell somebody. Plus, Rhaenys figured it out when we were at your parents. She promised that she would stay quiet though.”  
  
“Good for her, I will so kick her ass when we’re back in town.”  
  
“Just don’t. She kept it a secret for a good cause. I wouldn’t have been able to surprise you like this if she hadn’t.”  
  
“That’s correct. What about the ring? How did you know about my measurements and when did you get it?”  
  
“I made a lucky guess with the measurements and I got them on the day that you sold your shares. I actually traveled to Dragonstone and back that day. It was kinda tiring.”  
  
“WHAT? How did you even pull that off without anyone noticing?”  
  
“Well, I kinda had to lie but then again it was for the greater good.”  
  
“You’re forgiven for that small lie and keeping things from me. This was the biggest and most awesome surprise I’ve ever had. Seriously Jon, I love you so much.”  
  
“I love you too.”  
  
_When they were at the airport and waiting for their plane, Jon had called his parents and broke the news to them. They were really ecstatic that he was finally tying the knot with the woman he loved. Next on were her parents. After dropping their suitcases to their flat and a quick shower, they immediately visited them and broke the news too. Actually the news had broken themselves, because her mother had recognized the ring on her finger and started crying. The Targaryens were very happy about the decision too and were very supportive. After all, their baby girl had taken the biggest steps of her life in a matter of months. When they had finally broken the news to their friends, the screams were unimaginable. Dany was so sure that she even noticed that Oberyn had shed a tear of joy, being so happy for his best friend, who was finally taking the last step to his new life.  
  
Within the rush of the work, arranging the big meeting between the parents, arranging the big meeting for the collective and Belaerys, time flew by so fast. It seemed that the two families were rather fond of each other, clearly happy to see their kids making each other happy and looked like they would be supportive all the way. They had decided that there would be no rush for the wedding and they could have it during September, after the collective was fully operational. The meeting with Belaerys had also gone really well and he would later return for the second meeting with representatives of Rhoynar Entertainment, who indeed were ready to produce a big fat check for the collective for their efforts.   
  
While they were spending the summer happily engaged, Val and Tormund were the first to tie the knot in mid-June. They were followed by Oberyn and Ellaria, who tied the knot a month after. The collective was running at full force, they were a company on paper and quickly establishing their offices all around the country. One in King’s Landing, one in Harrenhal and one in Winterfell the first starting points and soon enough, Jaime’s elder brother Tyrion had also bought in and had taken the responsibility to run affairs from Lannisport, as he was now settling there with his family. All the pieces had come together for them and Dany couldn’t help but feel that this had been deserved for a long, long time.  
  
One nice summer morning, they were just coming back home from their walk from the park. Dany had been feeling so fine that she knew in her heart that she had come a long way. _They_ had come a long way together. They were holding hands as they were approaching their flat, through the empty streets. Even King’s Landing could be silent and peaceful during certain hours and they were making sure to take full advantage of those wonderful times. Suddenly she felt the urge in her grow to an all-time high and she stopped Jon to kiss him. _  
  
“Where did this come from?”  
  
“It came from my heart. I just want you to know that I love you so much and you really have made me the happiest woman on this planet. You believed in me when nobody did, saw me for who I am, loved me for who I am. Even when I fucked up, you stood by me. When I slipped you held me and when I was down, I got to stand up with you and only you. It’s been overwhelming for me emotionally but I know in my heart that we complete each other. I’m sorry that it took me a long time to figure this out and even longer to actually be able to say these out loud but I just need to say these now, because I don’t want a day go by without you knowing that I love you and you are the love of my life. You make me whole and I never, ever want to leave your side.”  
  
“Dany…”  
  
_There were tears in his eyes. She hadn’t been able to understand how could anyone not love this man or abuse his love and she knew that she could never treat him wrong. He just held her in the middle of the street as the sun became brighter and brighter. Finally they were whole and their dreams were realized.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With one more chapter to go, we are all set! Next up will be the wedding and stuff about what the future holds for all of the characters. Hope you all enjoyed this one as much as I did, because for sure, this was definitely fun to write!


	26. To An Infinite Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello again! Firstly I hope everyone who is reading this is staying safe! After a bit more than two months, I've been able to return and deliver the final chapter. Between this damn pandemic, still needing to work from home and eventually the Westworld scoring competition, I'm glad I actually have been able to sit down and devote some time to this story. Not that it was missed or anybody relatively cared about it, but I just wanted to have it finished.
> 
> The main reason I wanted to write this story was that me feeling very down in the very beginning of it and firstly wanting to remember the good times fondly enough. It did become very difficult to bear at some point but after all, for me, everything turned out to be okay. I know the ASOIAF universe rather well but am sick of the canon, anything related to the tv show or all the fix-it stories. Especially the fix-it Dany ressurrection stories, since they actually justify the shittiest of shit storyline which is called season 8, therefore I wanted to do something completely unrelated.
> 
> Without further ado, here's the final chapter of this story. Hope you guys enjoy!

The big day had finally arrived.  
  
The weather wasn’t maybe scorching hot, but then again this was the first weekend of September and it was after all, the earliest date they could arrange to have the wedding. The summer had been extremely busy, both with work and social events. Belaerys hadn’t let them breathe at all throughout June and the first half of July. Everything had to happen by the books, especially because they were signing this big contract with an Essosi company. People from Rhoynar Entertainment had been frequent visitors as well, overseeing the preparations, although the shootings weren’t to start until the beginning of the next year. Still, the paycheck had to be earned and they had no choice but to work very hard throughout that time. Dany had come to notice that when she wasn’t busy with paperwork and was actually creating something that made her fulfilled, she wasn’t tired or too stressed like she used to be. She had stopped complaining about early mornings, the meetings and brainstorming sessions didn’t bother her anymore and working together with Jon was a joy. Professionally he was very strict, but then very much fun at the same time. He knew how the delicate balance of things worked and behaved accordingly.  
  
His work had also started and this was quite unusual, coming from a director. Belaerys had just given him the scripts and asked that he started working on the themes already. He had told her that this wasn’t so common but nowadays more and more directors had started giving this freedom to the composers; especially because it helped them with adjusting the scenes into a different mood and let the actors and actresses improvise if necessary. That also meant that Jon wouldn’t be cramped up under a huge pile of work with a deadline which kept approaching faster and faster. He could take his time, see pictures from the sets for the environments, look at her designs and Arya’s projections for the mood of the provisioned scenes and go into detail with each piece he had to work on.  
  
The weddings that they had attended were wonderful. Val and Tormund’s wedding was more on the modest side, considering that this was the second time that Tormund was getting married, he had wanted minimum fuzz, although the liquor flow was at an all-time high. Knowing that he would need to behave throughout the ceremony, Tormund had then attacked any liquor that he could get his hands on. The hangover following the wedding had been devastating, but seeing Val so happy was the one thing that she truly remembered. She had wondered at that time whether she would look the same from the outside but then again, every relationship had a different dynamic. Tormund and Val had a rocky and long ten year relationship despite the age difference and Val having rather conservative parents, they had finally tied the knot and nobody had anything to say about that. During one of their girl talks Val had mentioned that now that everything about her personal life was actually stable, it had started feeling weird. This wouldn’t be the case with her and Jon, she knew it. Their relationship wasn’t maybe as old as a fourth grader, but then again, the year that they had spent together was more than enough to make the decision to move forward.  
  
Jon had done everything in his power to actually make sure that they weren’t apart for too long or they would be buried under so much work for long periods. Sharing a flat had become a true gem, especially when they were both working at such a pace. Dany knew it in her heart that if she were still living with her parents, she and Jon would again be tied up in endless fighting or angst, depending on the situation and the mood. They had transformed the guest room into an office for her and that had also helped a lot. Jon would always make sure that they exercised on a regular basis so that they wouldn’t get back problems after countless hours of staring at the screens. They had been able to upgrade their computers after the new paycheck and work had suddenly become much easier. The time she spent with rendering projects were cut in half, maybe more and it had been the same for Jon. While he did use headphones effectively during his work hours, sometimes when he needed an opinion, he would launch the monitors and she would gladly listen through the stuff. His talent somehow always managed to impress, excite and motivate her. She would fuel herself after listening to his stuff and work even harder and more efficiently. Work days were now more fun than ever and she was really glad that she was doing what she was born to. To design and create.  
  
Oberyn and Ellaria’s wedding was complete the opposite of Val and Tormund’s. The fanfare was there, it was a five-hundred plus person event, the expenses were unimaginable to her and she had made Jon promise that they wouldn’t overspend like that for just one night. Jon was more than okay with that, for the first that he really didn’t want a super-crowded wedding and for the second, he actually cared about the intimacy of the whole thing, which made him leave all the important decisions with her. She would tell him what she wanted and if it was something that could happen, he would be on board with it. It had been really helpful with planning the wedding, choosing the location, the decorations and so on. Only when it came to catering she had insisted that he make the decisions because she had absolute trust in his taste in that department.  
  
Every partner of the collective was luckily in King’s Landing before their wedding. Having Val and Arya around had eased up a lot of her load, while Ellaria and Elia also provided a lot of help, having experienced rather big and crowded weddings. Throughout her life, Dany never actually had to search for people who would make her look pretty because she had never actually paid _that much_ attention to it but when it came to a wedding, she had found out that it was a whole different world and she would have to adjust. Luckily all her friends had been extremely helpful with the wedding dress, the hairdresser, the make-up artist and so on. She almost never had to even move a muscle to get what she wanted throughout this time and had found out that she was really lucky to have friends who really knew what was what.  
  
  
***  
  
  
His best friend was getting married.  
  
Never ever in a million years, Oberyn Martell had thought that this day would come. Jon always had been the one who rode solo. Their friendship went back 20 years, maybe more, he thought to himself. Jon had been in relationships before but never ever, he had considered tying the knot or settling down forever. It wasn’t necessarily because he didn’t want it, it was because he believed that he hadn’t found the right person, the perfect fit that he wanted and therefore, had refused the idea of moving forwards with anyone who actually wanted to settle down with him. Once he said no to something, it was difficult to change it to a yes and Dany somehow always managed to get the yes. Thinking about that, his memories from the day that they broke the news to them resurfaced and that put a smirk on his face. That day probably was the most emotional he had ever felt for a friend and he couldn’t have been prouder. He was the only best man candidate that Jon ever had in mind, therefore a discussion wasn’t even in the books and he had made it sure that Jon would be as comfortable as possible, going into this wedding. Jon had never been the type to be worried or stressed on big occasions, always managing to punch through the clouds and get his way. All Oberyn needed to do was to manage his comfort and that would be that. This was the easiest best man duty possible and he was enjoying it.  
  
Jon hadn’t wanted any fanfare or a crowded event to begin with. His point of view was not only supported by Dany, but also by both sets of parents. Jon wasn’t interested in entertaining anyone who hadn’t even remotely touched his life for the past few years; therefore some relatives were already out of question. When witnessing the conversation between him and Dany, Oberyn had found out more about Jon’s relatives than in their twenty-something-year friendship. “ _Ever the mysterious.”_ he thought to himself and didn’t notice that he chuckled a bit louder than normal. That had caught Jon’s attention and when he looked at him; Jon was already staring at him with a questioning look.  
  
_“Whatcha laughing at?”  
  
“Nothing big. Just never thought that we’d be at this very moment. I mean, you getting married feels like we’re in a movie or sorts. Still feels unreal. Never took you for one to settle down.”  
  
“Heh, I never saw myself that way either but, once the storm had weathered, I knew that this was what I wanted from this relationship.”  
  
“What if it wasn’t for Dany?”  
  
“Then I’d still be single and would keep on being single for the rest of my life.”  
  
“Seriously dude? Isn’t that something big to say?”  
  
“No, not really, I mean it. I knew at the early stages that it was either with Dany or with no one. Luckily for me, we managed to overcome the difficulties.”  
  
“Well, that makes me even gladder that you actually came to this decision. It makes the feeling even more unreal but all the better. I’m really, really happy for you Jon.”  
  
“Thanks man, it means a lot coming from you. After all you’ve witnessed it all, since the beginning.”  
  
“For all I know, you deserve this more than anyone else. I’m really happy that you found the right person for you. After all with me and you, it was more about who completed us and look where we are now.”  
  
“I like where we are to be honest. Actually more than happy that I’m not all that far behind, because I would’ve never heard the end of it from all you guys.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“I would have been the last single one remaining if things hadn’t gone well for me. Look at it, you are married, Jaime is married, Val is married and even Arya is in a relationship. It does become very difficult to be the only single guy between all those couples.”  
  
“I do know the feeling. After all, for all those years, even if we had our flings, in the long term that person was either me or you, or both of us at the same time.”  
  
“Well, at least when we were both single, we had the luxury of getting shitfaced whenever we wanted. Now we should act responsible and be family men from now on.”  
  
“Damn right we should. Speaking of being responsible, I have a gift for you. A big bottle of Dornish champagne, specially bottled for the occasion in Sunspear. My father sends his regards.”  
  
“Oh man, we’ll need to properly refrigerate that before drinking. Maybe it stays in our fridge during the honeymoon and when we’re back, we’ll get to it.”  
  
“That sounds like a plan, but we agree that alcohol must be consumed before you actually get married, right?”  
  
“Absolutely. I thought you would have something in mind as the best man.”  
  
“Oh you have no idea, I haven’t forgotten about your surprise at my wedding.”  
  
_It was Jaime’s cue to enter with a bottle of _Ashemark 30_. The sight of the bottle had made Jon gasp, as this was one of the most expensive bottles you could get your hands on in the country. As a whiskey enthusiast himself, Oberyn knew how much Jon appreciated a good whiskey and they were going to enjoy one last glass as brothers, right before his best friend would move on to his new life, with the love of his life.  
  
  
***  
  
  
He wasn’t stressed at all.  
  
Everyone had warned him about wedding jitters but he was fine. After all this was what he wanted and he was doing it with the best possible person on the planet. A woman who not only understood him, but valued him, loved him and made him want to be a better man. He was enjoying where he was, both physically and in his mind, because he wouldn’t rather be anywhere else now, even if he was offered the world itself.  
  
Then he saw her walking down the aisle.  
  
She looked astonishing. Yes she was the most beautiful woman he had ever been with up to this day and now they would be together forever. He silently watched her approaching towards him, not even realizing that he was smiling like an idiot. This was the first and only time that he actually understood that he was in love with someone. Throughout this long year and a half, he had come to notice that he had liked some women, hadn’t really liked some at all, some he had been with just for the sake of it and some of them he was glad that they weren’t a part of his life anymore. Dany had made him realize that there was just one person, who could complete him in the exact way he had always dreamed of and within a few minutes, that dream was to become real.  
  
The words were said, wows were made and within a matter of seconds, they were declared husband and wife. It still felt unreal somehow to him and this all had made him realize how much he had come to reach where he was now. They shared a kiss, made their first dance, toured the tables, accepted congratulations and best wishes, not to mention some small wedding gifts from the elder people and were finally seated at their table. From where they sat, Jon observed the little crowd, which included their closest friends, their parents and some of their relatives. He noticed that his old man was locked in what seemed to be a very entertaining conversation with Dany’s father. When he showed Dany the sight, she chuckled and held onto his arm, inviting him for another kiss. The whole thing had made him so happy that it was that hypnotic feeling in Valyria combined with the time they had reconciled with Dany for good. The emotionally overwhelming mood left him staring at his glass, until he was brought back to life by his wife.  
  
_His wife.  
  
_Even the thought of it was great but now that it had really happened, for a moment he didn’t know what to think, how to feel and how to behave. All he could think of was that now he didn’t have to worry about an emotional gap within himself, a gap that he never thought would be filled. He was lucky to have Dany and he believed that they were lucky to have each other. They completed each other, loved each other and made each other better. He had believed in it since they had started dating and for once it felt really good to have his faith rewarded. He took one look at his wife and just smiled as the party went on around them.  
  
A week of honeymoon was awaiting them in Naath. This would be their only chance to actually get some space and find some time for each other, before the production would hit them in full force. Still, they were to take trips to Valyria with Dany, not only for meetings but also for Dany to oversee the set-building process in there. Bealarys had in the end decided to to hold his shootings in Dragonstone, Driftmark and the Disputed Lands. He also wanted Jon to visit sets, get acquaınted with some of the actors, talk with them in depth about their characters and make modifications to his work, if necessary. Not only Bealarys was very strict with his schedule with the production, he was also very much fun to work with and Jon knew that this would turn out to be a fruitful partnership for the years to come and maybe they could sort out a second project together, once this ten year run was done.  
  
What was even better for the collective was that Jaime had secured them their first job for the state, which was to be led by Gendry, in their absence. Jaime was cast as one of the supporting cast for the first two seasons and his character would be later promoted to the main cast with the third season, to go all the way to the end, including the movie. It felt good that he was getting some international exposure; especially the character definitely looked like something he would grow into. After years of torment and struggle, they were finally killing it in the scene and even if it came a few years later than they had envisioned, it still felt good and maybe even a little bit more satisfying. The freedom of speech had started feeling better than ever, they had done a bunch of interviews for numerous Westerosi papers and tv channels, openly speaking their mind about how the art scene should be moving towards better things and should not be used for propaganda, like back in the day of the Greyjoy reign. Euron Greyjoy’s name was barely mentioned on the press, he was found guilty on so many levels that his trials were being conducted out of everyone’s sight and the press would be just briefed by Oberyn himself, on behalf of the president, as the trials moved forward pretty much, every week or two.  
  
As for life with Dany, he had never been happier. Everything was organized, stable and pretty much everything was self-sustaining. They shared the burden with the apartment, if one of them was a little bit busier than the other, then the one with less workload took care of the matters of the flat. They pretty much never argued at all and when they argued, it was mainly about work, which helped them make things better with their individual styles. This was the most fruitful relationship he had ever had in his life and when Dany had said that she felt the same way, once again both of them knew that they had made the right decision by taking these steps together.  
  
  
***  
  
  
This had to be it.  
  
Never before in her life, she had this much stability and apparently this was what safety felt like. Her messy teenage years and the harsh transition into her adult life had left her broken and unwilling to compromise. At some point she had found herself in the position where all she wanted from life was that her family and friends were healthy enough and that was it. Of course that was until she had met Jon. Her life had changed for the better of it, although it had taken her quite a while to get rid of old insecurities and traumas but none of it mattered anymore. She was happy, her life was stable and the feeling of comfort surrounded her.  
  
These thoughts comforted her when she was working from home and Jon had to be outside for meetings or overseeing some productions at the office. Her workload would get intense every now and then, but doing what she loved the most, her inner-peace was at an all-time high and it had showed. Taking antidepressants had never been mentioned since they had reconciled, she slept better, ate better, exercised more than ever and came to notice that she was only stressed during those intense but short work sessions, in which she would deliver like Jon. He had showed her ways of focusing on work in such bursts, which had helped her maintain balance with her work and social life, not to mention to actually raise the quality level to her liking.  
  
It was one of those days that she was working from home, while Jon had to oversee some production with the state job. Things really were easier once the state was on their side, not trying to prevent them from doing their job but actually encouraging them to do it. After finishing a phone call with Sarella, who had left her job at Targaryen Architecture to join her at the collective, she took one final look at the project in front of her, saved the sketches and turned off her computer. It was a nice Friday afternoon and they were to have a quiet weekend together with Jon. She thought about maybe going for a walk, but she didn’t know when Jon was to arrive at home, so she put the thought away. Then she decided to call him but he hadn’t picked up the phone, which was strange, because he would either take the call or drop it and send her a text immediately. Just when she was about to text him, she heard the door opening. He was home early and that sparked some happiness in her. She walked towards the door and threw herself into his arms immediately. After a brief kiss, she checked his expression, noticed that he was relaxed enough so she asked about his day right away.  
  
“ _Hey you! Didn’t expect you this early. The meeting went well, right?”  
  
“Hey yourself. Yeah, no big troubles to distract us from our course. The project will go through. There was an asshole in the representative team of the ministry, some guy named Naharis or whatever. He was a jerk but Oberyn intervened and put him in his place.”  
  
“Ah, Daario Naharis, I know him. He was some minor, unimportant person in the ministry when the Sunspear stadium project had got the approval. That was when I met him and he had hit on me after a meeting.”  
  
“He hit on you?”  
  
“Yep. Naturally I turned him down and I suppose he knows that we’re married, hence the behavior.”  
  
“Well, sorry not sorry, he could knock himself out. I probably won’t see him ever again anyway. This was the last meeting I had to attend there. Gendry will handle the rest of the stuff from now on, since the rest of us are shifting our attention towards the premiere of the series.”  
  
“Wow, you really aren’t the jealous type. You didn’t even flinch when I told you that he hit on me.”  
  
“Why would I? I told you before, once we reconciled, I was sure about everything between us. No reason for me to suspect anything or be jealous about things. I know I love you and you love me back.”  
  
“You have that much faith in me since then? I guess one can never be surprised enough with you.”  
  
_After that, he smiled and just took something from the inside pocket of his jacket. Those looked like tickets but she wasn’t sure. Luckily for her, he didn’t keep her waiting long or wasn’t looking to build any suspense. _  
  
“Maybe not. Then again, maybe yes. Speaking of surprises, check out these tickets to Dragonstone for the weekend.”  
  
“Oh, are we having a getaway? I was going to suggest that since the weather is so nice but couldn’t be sure about the workload.”  
  
“Well, Oberyn had guaranteed me a free weekend on this matter; therefore I came to the conclusion that we both could use a short break before the premiere preparations.”  
  
“Well thought, mister. Where were our travel locations, do you have the list?”  
  
“For sure we are heading to The Disputed Lands, Braavos, Pentos, Valyria, Meereen, interestingly enough Vaes Dothrak and finally Yin.” _  
  
“ _Wow, that’s some serious touring. I’m so glad that I get to come with.”  
  
“Me too. Still, there’s lots of time for that to start so we’re good. Let’s get something to eat and pack for Dragonstone afterwards. Taking the ferry tomorrow morning will get us going better than the flight.”  
  
_After ordering some food, they discussed the day, made some future plans, took a detailed look at the tour program, noted some must-see locations at their destinations and it wasn’t long before sleep took them, peacefully. The next morning was as beautiful as the night before, she was feeling at peace, excited about the upcoming things and very much in a positive mood. During the ferry, they were able to sit outside since it was nice weather, enjoying their coffee while looking at Blackwater Bay. The city’s troubles looked so far away and that sight made Dany remember how much she loved these getaways and how much she loved the peace and quiet of Dragonstone. Jon had booked the same hotel that they stayed at but unfortunately, they weren’t going to be able to go visit the winery this time, since the owner was on vacation. Dragonstone had become their main getaway place, especially because it was so close to King’s Landing and when the weather was nice, taking the ferry there was a joy. They had become regulars at that little local hotel, made friends with most of the locals in the market area and knew their way around the town. Everything was just the way they wanted.  
  
If one word described their union, it was stability for sure. They had built their new life together wisely and Jon had enabled her to take charge as much as she felt like. She had started feeling more confident as of late, Jon was a big support at all times and the feeling of having taking control over the things that mattered the most, she really was feeling that this all had brought the best out of her. It was safe, sound, stable and happy. All those feelings came together once again, when she laid eyes on her husband, who was calmly watching the ocean as the ferry was slowly making its way towards Dragonstone. She reached out for his hand and their fingers intertwined. It felt as fresh as the first time in that cab, but way more powerful and meaningful. She pecked him on the cheek and he casually turned towards her and kissed her forehead. The look on his face was so calming and peaceful that it made her heart tremble. She was expecting the comfortable silence to linger but then he spoke.  
  
_“Enjoying your time so far?”  
  
“Oh you bet! This was a much, much needed getaway before the storm. Is it always going to be like that though?”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“I mean our lives. Will it always be a storm?”  
  
“No, I don’t think so. As a company we have two obligations, one of which is a multi-year one, on which you and I are working. This is the thing with yearly running things, they get super-busy during a few months of the year and then the rest is just taking the backseat for people like us. We work behind the scenes you know, but guys like Jaime, they need to be at the front, promoting, chasing and so on. That’s why his life is always a storm, ours won’t be.”  
  
“I’m still getting used to the fact that I’m more of a freelancer now. All that company hazard, board meetings, going to clients and so on, finally behind me and I have you to thank for that.”  
  
“Not really, you came to that decision on your own. I merely showed you an alternative, that’s all. Nothing big on my account to be honest, especially when I think that you wouldn’t really do something that you didn’t want to or liked to do.”  
  
“That’s correct but still, I needed someone to open my eyes, so thank you for that.”  
  
_“ _If you must insist, I think I know a few ways that you can show your appreciation once we check into our hotel.”  
  
“You sir are an asshole but I love you anyway.”  
  
“I love you too.”  
  
_After settling into their room and making love towards the beautiful view of the ocean, they were calmly sipping some summer-wine in their room’s little patio. Dany loved the environment they lived and worked in, but nothing was able to beat getting away from the stress of King’s Landing and escaping into the calming silence of Dragonstone. The view was better, the air was cleaner, the food was fresher, the drinks were cheaper and it actually provided peace, whenever needed. She was a little afraid to voice her thoughts on the matter, especially after having signed a multi-year contract with a big entertainment company, which probably would require her to be living full-time in King’s Landing, at least until the end of the contract. Jon had never come back to the idea of maybe purchasing a house from Dragonstone either so maybe that was completely off the table for them. Then again it was Jon and he could mention something, mean it for real and then could make you forget about it, only to surprise you from out of nowhere. He had done it several times before and had never failed to shock her for once. Things with him were stable in general but he always knew how to nail a surprise and maybe something was indeed on the horizon.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Dividing time between Winterfell and Harrenhal wasn’t a bitch anymore.  
  
Arya Stark of Winterfell didn’t hate Harrenhal after all. Especially now that they were sharing an apartment with Gendry quite nearby the Harrenhal office of the collective, everything was at peace. Jon and Jaime had left her in charge of the Harrenhal office, while Stark Animation had now become a sister company to Ice and Fire Collective. Usually Northern companies did not fare well with the Southern business market but this was a good chance for Arya to expand, while Davos Seaworth and Jon Arryn were making sure that justice was served in the North. Euron Greyjoy had overtaken the assets of Stark Enterprises after her father’s death and now it was their chance to get it back. Still, Arya had no interest in continuing the family business and the whole thing only had sentimental value for her.   
  
While she would refrain from taking the trips to King’s Landing so that Gendry would actually take charge in representation, she would never shy away from going to Winterfell at every chance she got. Those trips meant that they didn’t see each other for a day or two per week but that was good enough for her. She never had been the type to be so mushy with a partner anyway; therefore a day or two per week on her own was more than she could ask for. Jon had reassured her by telling her that they could always use whatever live-chat was appropriate for important meetings so that nobody had to travel more than necessary, unless they needed to be a united front. This gave everyone the chance to move on with their lives, while maintaining constant contact with the luxury of being able to arrange get together events once or twice a month. Everything was finally stable and she wasn’t constantly in need of living on the run, worrying about things, friends, loved ones being in danger and so on.  
  
She found herself staring at the screen, while getting lost in these thoughts. She smiled to herself and at the luxury of actually being able to getting lost in thought. Deciding to focus on the document staring back at her on the screen, she lit a cigarette and tried to concentrate, only to be interrupted by her secretary’s phone. Given that her secretary knew that she wasn’t to be interrupted or disturbed during these hours, she decided to respond, figuring out that this had to be something important.  
  
“ _What is it Jeyne? It better be important.”  
  
“Ms. Stark, it’s Mr. Lannister on the line. He said that you weren’t responding to your cell and it was important.”_   
  
Checking her phone, she noticed that she had missed the call from Jaime while being lost in her thoughts. This was somehow embarrassing for her, because Arya Stark would never miss calls during work hours. She half-heartedly told Jeyne to connect the call and got comfortable in her seat.  
  
“ _What can I do for you Mr. Lannister?”  
  
“Haha shut it Stark, when you didn’t respond to your phone I thought you were having sex but then I noticed that your boyfriend was actually sitting like five feet away from me so I figured you had zoned out. Care to join us for the weekly meeting? Jon will be absent this time, so we kinda have to have you on board.”  
  
“Oh of course I will and don’t think that I’ll forget that stupid remark of yours and do tell Gendry to stop smirking. He might not be visible to me at this point but I know he’s right there and he’s smirking.”  
  
_The loud laughter from the background had proven her right. She chuckled at the dirty humor and they got on with their meeting. Luckily this was a rather short one because Jon wasn’t involved. Not that he prolonged the meetings or liked the longer ones himself. If it were up to him, there would be no meetings at all and just simple phone calls would generally do. He very often called any sort of meeting useless or a waste of time, especially when one of those interrupted his work. Paying attention to not to get lost in thought this time, Arya had the final word to wrap up the meeting quickly enough and get home to get comfortable.  
  
“ _Alright then, before all the touring begins, we’ll meet in person altogether at King’s Landing and then you guys will get going.”  
  
“That’s correct. I’m traveling apart from Jon and Dany because they have a different schedule than mine. They will go straight from Vaes Dothrak to Yin, while I still need to do two more dates in the Dothraki Sea and the inevitable Asshai. Apparently the hype there is huge so they wanted the whole actor cast to attend.”  
  
“Oh that’s cool. Maybe we get to come with during the launch of the second season?”  
  
“I guess that’s possible. The whole thing really depends on the success of the first season really, though the network has given us the green light to start shooting the next two seasons so I’ll get to enjoy being a part of the main cast at least for one year.”  
  
“Awesome! Make sure that Gendry doesn’t miss his train, will you? He is needed back home as soon as possible.”  
  
“Would you maybe like me to catapult him all the way to Harrenhal? I know that he could take offense at this but, you certainly wouldn’t.”  
  
“Hahah noo, I wouldn’t and yes you could, I don’t mind as long as he gets home quickly. Take care and give my regards to Elia. See you guys next week!”  
  
_Working together had brought her closer with Jaime, while passing on the information about his father had also helped them bond further for sure. He was a fun guy and a fine individual to work with. She had started understanding why Jon had stuck with Jaime throughout the years and why the two never really argued on work related matters. His presence and problem solving abilities had also helped her ease into her new role and for that she was grateful. She had thought about maybe calling Jon but then noticed that Dany was actually calling her.  
  
“ _Well isn’t this a surprise? To what do I owe the pleasure Mrs. Snow?”  
  
“Oh, Mrs. Snow is actually me, right? Still getting adjusted to that, sorry! Okay, now you made me forget for what I called you.”  
  
“Well, no can do. Aren’t you guys supposed to be in Dragonstone for the weekend? Jon had told me in the beginning of the week that this weekend was supposed to be a getaway for you guys.”  
  
“Yes, we are actually at Dragonstone. Hey wait, he had told you in the beginning of the week and you kept your mouth shut? Good for you, thought we were friends!”  
  
“No offense but you know that when Jon lends you in on a secret, you actually keep it.”  
  
“That’s right. I guess that’s what makes you Arya after all. Oh I finally remembered what I was going to ask. Did Jon mention anything related to a beach house or purchasing a property from Dragonstone in any of the meetings that I didn’t attend?”  
  
“Uhm… no? Did he mention something like that to you and we don’t know about it?”  
  
“No, I mean yes but, not work related. It was our first getaway together and he had mentioned how cheap the houses were and so on.”  
  
“And now you’re thinking whether a surprise is coming from out of nowhere because he mentioned it once and never returned to the topic ever again. You’re learning how he likes to behave but you cannot predict his exact moves, you should know that. I wouldn’t get my hopes up too high about anything at this point. For all I know, he’s really focused on nailing this premiere, all the launch business and so on.”  
  
“Well thanks anyway. Do you think Val would know, if there was something to know about?”  
  
“No, I don’t think so. Val is busy with her pregnancy anyway so, I don’t think Jon would load her with anything emotional at this point. And hey, most of the time he operates alone so if you have any question marks in your head, best ask him about those.”  
  
“I’ll keep this in mind and I should definitely call and ask Val how she’s doing, good that you reminded me. You’ll be in town for the meeting next week, right?”  
  
“That’s right. Will see you on Wednesday, I’ll be coming a day earlier so we could grab some drinks if you’re up for it.”  
  
“Would love that! Be in touch!”  
  
_She couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought. Dany was figuring out how Jon operated, but wasn’t quite there yet. Still, it felt somehow satisfying that her best and dearest friend had found the right woman for himself and was actually cruising comfortably with her by his side. She felt a quite similar state of mind and life with herself and Gendry, although for her standards, it was still too early to decide.  
  
  
***  
  
  
He could sense that she was anxious about something but decided to keep his mouth shut for the time being. This was supposed to be a peaceful getaway before the cradle started rocking for them and peace had to be maintained.  
  
Not that he would start an argument out of the blue on a peaceful getaway.  
  
Still, she looked anxious, no, almost troubled about something. Maybe she wasn’t able to bring herself together to ask him about it. She did have her moments like that, when she would suppress her inner thoughts and feelings, only to delay the things within herself for long periods, which eventually led to her completely letting go about it.  
  
Maybe this was after all, the time to be the aggressor, so he decided to ask.  
  
“ _Is something bothering you love? You know that you can actually talk to me, right?”_  
  
“ _No, I mean yes, there is something in my mind. I might be completely making this up or expecting something you actually don’t plan to do at all but, yes, since we’ve arrived this has been in my mind so I have to ask you about this.”  
  
“Well, go on?”  
  
“Have you secretly bought a place from here, or are you using this getaway as a scouting mission to look for houses around?”  
  
_She had learned how he operated but she was a bit too early with this one. He did have this in his mind for a long while now but still, this was something that needed to wait in his own mind. He needed to answer this very quickly and be honest about it.  
  
“ _I haven’t bought a place from here no. However this is something in the back of my mind and I thought that eventually we could do something like this in the near future but just not now. And no, this is no scouting mission, we really are vacationing here. I already took the liberty of booking us for a whiskey-tasting event tomorrow afternoon.”  
  
_There was a brief silence and it certainly wasn’t the usual comfortable silence they had together. Maybe they were actually about to have their first argument in a long, long while. When she didn’t respond, he kept the initiative and continued talking.  
  
“ _Is that what you want? For us to buy a place from here? Because we most certainly can afford it now, which means it’s not just a dream, it’s a possibility for us if you want that.”  
  
_The silence kept creeping. This wasn’t supposed to happen; this was supposed to be a peaceful vacation. Then she finally decided to talk.  
  
“ _I thought you were making this big move, completely catching me off-guard again to surprise me by actually having done something already and it freaked me out. It freaked me out because this wouldn’t be some small surprise that you would shock me with, this would be a huge move that you hadn’t consulted me about at all.”  
  
_And he was misunderstood. Now he actually had to fix this.  
  
“ _Love, I wouldn’t act on my own with such a huge thing. Yes, I mentioned this to you once, some time ago and yes I definitely would love the idea that we would have a permanent getaway place here, or even a house that we could live a couple of months per year but I simply wouldn’t be able to decide on this on my own.”  
  
_Her expression had changed for the better and that gave him courage to go further. He could be in the clear now and they could discuss this in detail if necessary.  
  
“ _Dany we’re married now and I can’t be the one making decisions on my own. We do things together, we’re in this thing together and we have been for a while now. If buying a place from the island is what you want, we can do a good research and decide on a place after the touring is done and you can design the damn thing from scratch if necessary.”  
  
_Now she was smiling and that was even better so he decided to shut the fuck up. Clearly she wanted to say more on the matter and now it was his time to listen. It had felt good to be able to explain himself in a civilized manner, without exploding or starting a fight. Now all he had to do was wait.  
  
“ _It’s not that I don’t want a place from here. The mess and stress of King’s Landing sometimes tires the shit out of me still. Yes we work more freely, I don’t need to be buried under paperwork and lose myself in countless meetings and I get to be as creative as I want to be, but the place is still very tiring. I was so happy that you read my mind and brought us here for the weekend but then the thought dropped to my mind and I couldn’t just shake it. It was both exciting but a tad bit too much at the same and I couldn’t help freaking about it, I’m sorry.”  
  
“No, I’m sorry if I mislead you about it. Yes I have surprised you in this manner before and I have done it multiple times so now you have a grip of my ways of operating but this is, as you said, a huge thing and needs to be decided together. So do tell me now; do you want us to buy a place from the island and spend maybe the quarter of the year here or not?”  
  
“I would love that if we owned a place here but there is no rush. Like you said, we can conduct a profound research once we’re back from the launch events. I’m sorry for doubting you with something like this. You had told me before that you would every now and then withhold information from me to surprise me but you were clear about deciding big things together.”  
  
“You don’t have to apologize and please come closer to me so I can actually hold you now.”  
  
_And just like that, without any drama, they had solved this little nugget of a problem. He was proud of how much they had evolved as a couple and they weren’t struggling within themselves anymore. They could talk things out, express their concerns to each other, solve shit together and move on to better things. This was after all, all he had ever wanted from this relationship in the first place. He loved how they completed each other and he loved the fact that show she had made him want to be a better person. This was the right time to actually say it out loud and he decided to not to hold back.  
  
“ _I want to say something and I want you to know that I mean every single word of it. You have changed me for the better, made me a better man throughout this whole time. You make me want to be a better man and this isn’t just for this very moment, this is happening all the time. To see you happy, bursting with joy is giving me so much happiness that I cannot express myself with neither words, nor music on the matter. I have tried, believe me and all these little gifts that I leave you with aren’t enough ever because they cannot fully express how much I love you.”_  
  
Then she kissed him and all hell broke loose too suddenly. Within a blink of an eye she was on his lap, devouring him, grinding him, holding onto him like he was the last living soul on the face of the planet. He could feel the soaking wetness between her legs and was turned on instantly. The sensation had taken over him so suddenly that he didn’t realize that he grabbed her and moved her to the bed while ripping off her tank-top. He broke their kiss and attacked her neck and then moved downwards to her perfect breasts. She had become his whole world and they were only just getting started. He didn’t want to take his time before stripping her pants and tasting her folds. Her moans filled his ears and took over him. Like a man possessed, he kept licking and sucking, determined to make her reach her climax repeatedly. He just couldn’t let go of her, not just because she tasted or felt so good but because he loved her and he wanted to make her happy. She shuddered violently, screamed, tore some of his hair, left scratch marks on his shoulders while repeatedly reaching her climax. He was rock hard for her already but he wanted to keep teasing her as much as he could before he would lose himself in her. He wasn’t going to stop but then she made him stop. For a very brief moment it was so silent that he could hear his blood flowing towards his cock.  
  
_“I need you to fuck me and I need you to fuck me hard like there is no tomorrow.”  
  
_He didn’t need to hear more before losing himself in her. He slid in with ease, given that she was almost flooding and obliged to the request from her. He kept fucking her like a man possessed, turning and twisting her around on the bed, taking her from behind, then letting her ride him, only to retake control after a brief moment and devouring her to satisfy her completely. They lost track of time, their moans and screams filled the room and neither of them cared even if they were heard around the world during this whole thing. He kept going as much as his body allowed him to do so and finally spilled himself into her. It took a long time for their heartbeats to return to normal and all the while they would grin like idiots, talk about stupid shit and laugh at each other. It had happened so suddenly that neither of them had recognized that they hadn’t used protection until they could actually start thinking about stuff.  
  
“ _I just realized that I didn’t have a condom on this time. I’m sorry, it was all too fast and I lost myself during the mome…”  
  
“Honey it’s okay. If it happens, it happens. I’m not crazy about the idea of having children but if I were to have children someday, I know for sure that I want to have them with you. If not now, maybe later but for now, we’ll think about it if the time comes, okay?”  
  
“Okay, no stress then. It’s funny how we’ve never entertained the idea at all. Then again considering our general dislike for screaming children, I guess it’s rather normal, right?”_

 _  
“It’s totally normal. We’re the type that would choose pets over kids at this point. Which brings me to the next question… Shall we get a dog? Or maybe a cat?”  
  
“How about both? If we get one of each from the shelter, they could grow up together as friends?”  
  
“I like that idea. Let’s think about it after all this launch business is done with.”  
  
_  
***  
  
  
Days and weeks flew by afterwards, they went from place to place, got to see cities, towns and landscapes that she had never set her eyes on before and it was worth it. The attention was luckily more on Belaerys and the actors, therefore that gave them more freedom to wonder around in the places they were staying, especially without getting much recognition. While they were on tour, her parents had taken a big leap and actually traveled to Tarth to visit Jon’s parents on the island, while enjoying the warmer climate and perks of being in the nature. That had caused them to change course and stop by Tarth, before moving home to King’s Landing. Jon had laughed about how close their parents had become and they had joked about the fact that how now they were all _one big happy family_ together. These kind of things didn’t matter to either of them; especially she knew how much Jon hated forced relationships and how she would start being bothered by the insincerities of the situation. It was good that their parents had bonded and formed solid friendships and that gave them some joy.  
  
The good thing was that both sets of parents had done an excellent job about keeping the relatives away from sticking their noses into their union. They weren’t scolded by lack of communication, everybody was made aware that they were very busy and almost always on the road and she knew that Lyanna had personally shut down a few people who would boldly go as far as asking if children were on the horizon. This was their life and their decision, which meant nobody, had any say in it. Jon had been rather calm towards this stupidity and had said that he wouldn’t be surprised if there were repeat performances from either side, considering how stupid people can get and how they cannot choose their relatives at birth. She had chuckled at his remark at that point but was furious within a matter of days when her aunt had asked her father about if they were planning to have children and so on. Luckily Aerys Targaryen had no patience for this type of idiotic behavior and had sustained the situation rather quickly.  
  
Her mother being rather traditional compared to her father and Jon’s parents sometimes worried her but Jon had waived it off, claiming that whatever her mom believed in didn’t matter to anyone but herself and noted that she was wise enough to keep her beliefs to herself, therefore posed no threat to the chemistry in between the families. Her mom on the other hand had scolded her for panicking about something like that and had then moved on to praising Jon for keeping his cool. He had blended in like he was one of their own and she sometimes had a hard time believing how much her parents adored him for who he was.  
  
Winter was on the horizon, all that rush had ended and that mountain of workload had melted before her eyes and suddenly she had too much time in her hands. Jon would visit the theater once a week to meet and discuss with Sam, they would go to the collective office together to oversee the work and attend the weekly meeting if necessary and rest of their time was free. At first she had enjoyed the laziness that it had brought but slowly the time was becoming too much and she had started worrying and stressing about unrelated things because now there was too much time to think. This wasn’t necessarily what she had signed up for and while she was way richer than she used to be, maybe she had more problems that came with it. Deciding that she needed to talk things through with Jon about this, she initiated the conversation one morning while they were having breakfast.  
  
“ _So now that I have too much time on my hands, I find myself worrying about stupid and useless shit the whole time. I’m worrying about whether Rhaenys and her kids are okay, whether Rhaegar has gotten his shit together for good finally but it doesn’t stop there. I wonder if mom and dad are okay, if your mom and dad are okay because we don’t talk every day, then I start stressing about the collective but I see the reports and the accounts to find out everything is working itself out and I don’t necessarily need to move a muscle at all and that makes me feel useless. Am I having a stupid crisis now that everything has actually fallen into the right place?”  
  
“Love, no, you don’t need to feel this way. When we had started building towards this idea, you remember how excited you were about your own work. All you need to do is actually to find the motivation within yourself to bring things to life. You love to create and the joy that brings you is visibly wonderful, I can see that whenever I look at you. So maybe you need a project to commit yourself to, or you know, just going back to your old sketches to pick up things from where you left them off. I remember during your last days at the firm you were going through your old designs and you had told me that how good it felt to remember them.”  
  
_He was right and she knew it. The lack of motivation had caused her inner self to start crumbling but she was more than that. More powerful, smarter, more stable than ever and she was never going to be depressed, ever again. Jon had always let her go at her own pace, never insisted on anything regarding her business, always advised against rushing into things when not sure and she could say that now she was sure of what she wanted to do.  
  
“ _You’re right, I need motivation. I fear that I’m too rusty now because I haven’t even sketched something original for maybe two years. Yes I handled the business with the series because it was easy and it was out of habit. It didn’t necessarily force me to get more creative than I usually am and it was easy money for me, though I don’t want to do that forever. Sure, once a year I can work a job like that and it appears that I will for a few more years now, but I want to divide the rest of my time accordingly and work at least a few projects per year so that I get rid of this rust and make it a habit again.”  
  
_He was now smiling at her. He somehow always knew what to say, what to get out of her and how to get it. He did it by not making her feel bad, low or guilty. He always did that by letting her figure things out and by being supportive.  
  
“ _In that case, how about we actually start searching thoroughly for that house in Dragonstone now so you can get started with the designs in your head and create everything from scratch? It will also hold sentimental value and will help you ease back into working at the same time. Does that sound like a good idea now that we have the time and the money?”  
  
“It sure does. I guess we can actually get started on that now.”_  
  
She had again found purpose and this one was actually going to be more fun now than ever. Their search for a new house would take quite long, given that she was barely satisfied with any of the houses they laid eyes on and when they were stuck, she had suggested that maybe buying the land itself and tearing down the house to make a new one. Jon was on board with the idea, not giving a shit about the cost of it and it really was visible that if she was happy, then he was happy too. Plus they had the financial stability and freedom for the first time in their lives and when she looked back to one of their earliest conversations, they were in constant struggle with their finances. She felt pride rising in her chest about how far they had come together and got to work with joy.  
  
The land was purchased, the house on it was torn down and she had got to design her dream house, in which she would live for at least the quarter of the year. It was a perfect excuse to get away from loud and noisy and messy King’s Landing and breathe in Dragonstone. While overseeing the process of their new house being erected, she had caught the attention of some of the locals and some of the rich from King’s Landing, who owned summer houses on the island. Some of those people had recognized who she was and would only politely nod to her when they saw her, while some of the rich, who definitely were the kiss-ass type had tried to suck up to her for favors and political power. She had cut them off without hesitation, telling them that neither she, nor her husband were involved with anything political anymore and therefore it was useless for them to show insincere courtesies. Some had taken offense at this, while others were respectful and had stopped bothering her with meaningless questions.  
  
All the construction and inner-design being put into place had taken them close to half a year. During the time Jon had taken a few extra gigs which paid rather well and that had kept him occupied as well. He had turned out to be right, they had a nice flowing system going; she wasn’t feeling useless or like a trophy wife at all, because she was actually getting to do her job and it was bringing her joy. She had taken advice from Val with the interior design, which had been really helpful with making the place homier, especially because she never thought that to be her strong suit ever. She had planned it so that they would be able to settle in without difficulties by Jon’s birthday and stay there for the fortnight, only to leave after her birthday. Her plans had been successful to say the very least and all was set a week before Jon’s birthday. She had supplied the place with all the necessary foods and groceries, all the wine and liquor needed throughout their time and left some of the responsibilities with their friends, who were to show up in between their stay every now and then.  
  
Jon’s expression was priceless, especially when he had found out that she had set things up in such a way that he was caught off guard and hadn’t been able to show the slightest sign of awareness the whole time. He was visibly happy and shocked, not being able to find the proper words to express his feelings for a matter of hours. He would just hold her, kiss her and look around with joy, only to fall back into the same loop again and again. When he was finally able to calm down, they had taken a seat in their garden with the view of the ocean in front of them. Dany had brought them a glass of _Mormont 25_ each because she simply couldn’t skip his favorite on his birthday. After some comfortable silence, realizing that he was still too shocked to initiate any conversation, she decided to open up.  
  
“ _Remember when you first joked about combining our birthdays and partying for two weeks straight? Well this won’t be what you would call a party necessarily but I think it will be a nice and different experience. We’ll be here until my birthday, the place is stacked with whatever we need and our friends will drop by during these two weeks to spend some quality time with us. I made sure that everyone was able to travel at least once so we’ll get to see whoever matters for sure. I just wanted to show you my appreciation for you being yourself. For being nice, kind and caring towards me all the time. For encouraging me to take bolder steps every day and for always having my back. I would have drowned in that endless sea of sorrow if it weren’t for you because you came to be my light, guiding me from that dark pit and giving me hope and purpose to do better with my life.”  
  
“Dany…”  
  
“Let me finish. We became better together but you were the one who recognized it fast and acted on it. If It were up to me, I would have hesitated and we probably would have got lost in limbo and couldn’t be here at all. We have a new life together, it’s much better than anything I’ve ever experienced, I feel full and filled with joy every morning I wake up next to you and I want this to go on for the rest of my life. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart for making all this possible. I couldn’t have done it without you.”  
  
_There were tears in his eyes. Throughout their time together, she had seen him like this maybe two or three times and he could always keep his emotions in check. Being alone with her in their new home apparently had given him a new light to look at things and his emotions were overflowing. He gently stood up from his seat, came to her, squeezed her hand and lifted her from her seat. After a long, soft but passionate kiss, he just held her there for a while. He still wasn’t ready to speak so she took a look at him and decided to continue.  
  
“ _You’ve given me parts of you, given me gifts that will stay with me forever, things that I will never, ever be able to forget are with me on this road thanks to you. I love you, I will always love you and I’m the happiest person on the face of this planet because you’re my partner in life.”  
_  
  
***  
  
  
He was the happiest man alive.  
  
There had been ups and downs throughout the road but they had come so far that he had reached the point that he couldn’t ever be without her. Words weren’t enough to show his gratitude, music wasn’t enough to show his appreciation. He thought that he had done everything in his power to express his feelings but clearly there was more to it because tears were openly flowing now and he couldn’t do anything to stop them.  
  
This was everything he wanted from life. After so many struggles, he had reached the point where he finally had it all. He was grateful for all he had and from now on, all he wanted was stability of it all. He knew that he would need to work as hard as before and never take anything for granted to maintain this but he would give his all, as long as it meant that he would be with Dany forever.  
  
Days went by at their new home, friends came and went, laughter was shared amongst the closest of friends, drinks flew, lots of good food was consumed and it was a fantastic two weeks to spend with the best company possible. Jon came to notice that this was the first care-free time off he spent since finishing the conservatory in KLU. The only time he had been able to take two weeks off without interruption was between the time after his graduation and before his admission papers had arrived so that he had to start preparing for his moving.  
  
On their final night before returning to King’s Landing, he dreamed that they had grown old together, watching the sunrise from their garden, sitting at the exact same spots that they had first taken their seats. He woke up to the sun rising into their bedroom to find Dany, comfortably sleeping on his shoulder, at the very same spot that she had occupied for most of the past two years. His heart sparked at the sight, knowing that this was his every morning in his years to come.  
  
Whether it was their apartment in King’s Landing or their house in Dragonstone, knowing that Dany was by his side was his only comfort. One he could never take for granted but one that he had allowed himself to get used to. This was after all, their infinite tomorrow together, one that they would make better with every passing day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...
> 
> This has been a long and rough ride for me. Writing this story was a joy most of the time, especially when I had the time to sit down and focus on it, without needing to care about anything else. Afterwards it became difficult for personal reasons and later because of my work schedule and global events. Still I hope everything turned out to be okay in the end for those of you who actually gave a damn and read this thing through.
> 
> Now I had mentioned before that the characters were loosely based on real life people and later became way too fictionalized but still, I am glad that these people have been my inspirations up to this point. None of them have a single idea that I have written this fic anyway so, that's a bonus on my side :)
> 
> In other good news, me and the person I based Dany on reconciled a few days after the pandemic was declared. We're at least on speaking terms and it doesn't feel awkward at all. I guess when both people go through some shit, it does help them mature and prevents them from causing problems between each other. I'm still trying to have my feet on the ground and not getting my hopes too high about everything becoming better than ever but a part of me is hopeful and aware that this is after all what I want from my future. 
> 
> Anyway, enough with my personal shit, I want to thank everyone who has read, commented and given kudos to this story. Especially if there are people whom I made wait this long by any chance, I really didn't mean to and I'm sorry about that. I sincerely hope that at least some people enjoyed this story and that will feel like an accomplishment to me :)
> 
> I don't think anyone would want me to write more stories and cannot say that it thrills me to even think about writing more stories here so I guess this was after all a one and only thing for me.
> 
> I hope that everyone will stay safe and we will get through this pandemic soon enough!


End file.
